Something Green
by Raiining
Summary: We all want Buffy and Spike to have a child -- but what if this happened in Season FOUR instead of Season Six??
1. Mark Kingston

**Something Green - 1**

Disclaimer: I own nothing - the characters, settings, and general story plot is all owned by some god called Joss Whedon and the wonderful brilliant people who employee him. I am nothing but a humble writer wondering what would have happened had their minds been more twisted and B/S shippy - so enjoy!!   
  
  
  
  
Summary of "Something Blue":   
  
Set in season 4, Buffy and Riley are not yet 'going out' but are in pre-dating courtship, Riley doesn't know Buffy's the Slayer and she doesn't know he's part of the Initiative, plus Adam has not been introduced. Spike doesn't know he can hurt demons and Willow and Tara have yet to meet, but meet they shall, and Dawn does not yet exist (like the 'yet'?)   
Willow is still sobbing over Oz leaving and does a spell that lets her "will be done" - she inadvertently causes Giles to go blind, Xander to become a 'demon-magnet' and Buffy and Spike to want to get married. The spell is eventually reversed and Willow is ashamed of her actions, Spike and Buffy both appear horrified at their actions and conduct, and Giles regains his sight. The episode ends with Riley and Buffy drawing closer, and Spike and Buffy seemingly further apart. (te he he....this shall be fun!)   
  
  


  
**Something Green - Part One   
  
**  
Mark Kingston strode into his morning office without once saying "good morning" to   
  
his elderly secretary. This event was of sufficient rarity that she rose a few minutes later from her 

usual position and went to bring an extra cup of coffee to her   
  
benevolent employer. Instead of sitting calmly behind his desk as she usually found   
  
him, Mr. Kingston was shouting red-faced into the speaker cradle of his office phone,   
  
which she had never, to this date, seen him use. Upset and worried over this   
  
abnormal behaviour, his concerned secretary left the coffee by his office door and   
  
sat down, once more, at her desk. Ten minutes later Mr. Kingston slammed his door   
  
behind him and grabbing his coat, stormed past her to his car. Her fears were in no   
  
way relived when she heard him mutter, in a statement obviously not meant for her   
  
ears, "Oh Hell, now we're all going to die."   
  
  
___   
  
  
  
George was waiting at his usual table in the small cafe, as Mark knew he would   
  
be. Neither man spoke a word as he walked up and quickly took the only other chair   
  
at the table. For all the rush they had taken to get here, they hesitated as their   
  
eyes met sharply once, then drifted around the cafe. The bright pink and green swirls   
  
of the wall design did nothing to ease either man's mind.   
  
  
  
With a resigned sigh, Mark turned to the one person he could trust in the world -   
  
could trust more than his wife, his son, his family (for what did they know of the   
  
terrors that existed around them?) - and spoke in a quiet, resigned, voice, "Nothing   
  
can be done, then?"   
  
  
  
His one true friend and long-time partner shook his head, "Nothing. The seed has   
  
been planted."   
  
  
A hint of the anger he felt showed itself now, "That damn woman!"   
  
  
George, older and angry - but older and thus covering his anger, said, "We can not   
  
blame her, she knew not what she did." At Mark's scoffed look a cut of steel edged   
  
into his voice, "she is suffering too, and her power is untrained. It was our fault   
  
for underestimating her."   
  
  
Mark threw his hands up in the air, causing the few other people the cafe to   
  
glance over, "But these are the pre-ordained events of the cosmos! These are truth   
  
and occurrences known for hundreds of years! Something this important can not simply   
  
be tampered with!"   
  
  
George glanced swiftly around the room at the people staring and was glad they   
  
were speaking Feryl and not English, "I know," he sighed, "Her power indeed is   
  
great. We knew this, we knew it better than almost anyone, taking into account what   
  
she must do, but even we did not foresee this."   
  
  
  
At these words Mark grew suddenly frightened and lifted his eyes skyward, "You   
  
mean - you mean THEY did not see this either?"   
  
  
George shook his head and Mark suddenly found himself trembling   
  
uncontrollably, "But - but - but that's impossible!!" he stuttered.   
  
  
"Obviously not."   
  
  
"Then what can we do? If this is totally unseen - why NOTHING had ever been   
  
totally unseen! In which direction do we proceed?"   
  
  
George looked at him hard, "This changes nothing - we proceed as per our orders."   
  
  
Mark shook his head, "Impossible! There are events which have not occurred,   
  
crucial events! Glorificus has yet to be released, the Key has not yet been shaped,"   
  
he stopped and gave a brief, humourless laugh, "Hell - the Vampire isn't even in love   
  
with her yet!"   
  
  
George sighed once more, "I know, crucial events must be played out - the Key   
  
must open the gates between the worlds, the Slayer must feel the energies of   
  
the cosmos, the Vampire must know the torture of a soul, the Witch must discover the   
  
power within herself -"   
  
  
" - the Hero must face the limits of his heart, the Demon must remain true to   
  
herself, the Child must know both Darkness and Light. You don't have to test me, I   
  
know the prophecy."   
  
  
George shook his head, "I recite this not to test you, I wish to show you how   
  
this - unseen - incident does nothing to alter our objectives. We must hurry, yes,   
  
we must press where we were not prepared too, yes, but order can be preserved. Our   
  
future need not be lost."   
  
  
Mark was silent for a long while, his eyes were lowered to the table top,   
  
unseeing of the dirt and crumbs, until after several tense moments he lifted his head   
  
looked into the eyes of his partner.   
  
  
"But how can they possibly succeed? They must learn so much."   
  
  
George placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Yes, but they are our greatest   
  
warriors, they will succeed."   
  
  
"And if they do not?" he dared to ask.   
  
  
"Then we will all die," replied his friend evenly, "but as least we can say we   
  
tried."   
  
  
Mark sighed then and lifted himself from the table, "All right then - let's get   
  
to work." 


	2. Toothbrush Debates

**Something Green - Part 2**   
  
  
Buffy Summers stared at her toothbrush with a look of obvious contrition. It was a normal

toothbrush, a short head and long handle, painted a rather disturbingly bright blue, on which sat an 

ordinary lump of common brand toothpaste.   
  
  
By the very act of staring at it, Buffy knew herself to be guilty. Hell, it wasn't like he tasted THAT   
  
good. Sure her lips had burned whenever they kissed; yeah her mouth still tingled at the memory of 

his touch - but that was the spell! Goddamn it! And these...these icky sensations were 

just ... leftovers, yeah leftovers, of the spell.   
  
  
With sudden resolution Buffy raised the toothbrush to her mouth and was about to feel the minty   
  
goodness which would wash all other tastes from her tongue when she suddenly remembered the 

look Riley had given her when she told him she was getting married.   
  
  
The giggles forced her to drop the toothbrush as his dumb-found look filled her mind's eye. He   
  
looked liked he was about to hurl, and she giggled again when she remembered her retort spoken 

earlier that day, "Oh God, please - I marry a guy named Spike?"   
  
  
It sounded so absurd, it WAS absurd, but it felt so real when they were under the spell. I loved him,   
  
Buffy repeated to herself the truth she had said to Willow, We were betrothed!   
  
  
Spike! Spike who had tried to kill her more times than she could count. Spike whom SHE had tried 

to kill as many times as that. Them. Together. Smooching and ... and everything.   
  
  
Buffy blushed as she remembered the quick incident in the back of Gile's apartment. God. How 

could she of? I mean, it was Spike! But she had loved him, and - God - he even loved her...but it 

was still wrong, very very wrong.   
  
  
Of course, if he ever told anyone she was going to kill him. Chip or no chip. Voicing the "Wind   
  
Beneath my Wings" was bad enough, this - this was tell-and-poof.   
  
  
Buffy reached for her toothbrush again as a sudden thought crossed her mind - my lord, what would 

Riley think? That she had...done it...however quickly, with a vampire? A soul-less one, at best.   
  
  
Course he wouldn't know it was a vampire, but another guy at least. A sudden wave of guilt washed 

over her but she pushed it back - it hadn't been her fault, or his really (was she defending Spike?!) 

they had been under a spell. How she was going to hurt Willow.   
  
  
They had been good cookies though, and Riley wouldn't ever have to know. He wouldn't 

understand, for one thing, and they weren't even really going out - he hadn't even kissed her yet! 

So really, she couldn't be blamed.   
  
  
She still felt icky though. The toothbrush would help. Buffy raised it to her lips before licking   
  
them and savouring Spike's taste.   
  
  
Well, maybe it wouldn't matter if she didn't brush till morning.


	3. Of Sisters and Vampires

**Something Green - Part 3   
  
  
**

"Buffy! What are you still doing in bed? I told you yesterday that you had to come by the house 

early this morning to watch Dawn while I go to the dentist!"   
  
  
Buffy stared into the handle of her dorm-room phone. She had to be still sleeping.   
  
  
"Mom," she asked, groggy and confused, "What are you talking about?"   
  
  
She could hear her mother's exasperated voice on the other line, "I know you're all college girl now,   
  
but I have to go out - you know how she gets when I suggest a baby-sitter. Plus it's safer if her 

you're here to watch her, and it'll be good for you two to spend some quality time together. You 

really haven't seen your sister much since school started.   
  
  
Buffy felt her head grow incredibly stuffy as her mother continued to speak. Something very 

important seemed to be trying to get through to her, something pressing...   
  
  
"Buffy, did you hear me? I said it'd be good for the two of you to spend some time together."   
  
  
Her mother's words seemed to interrupt whatever odd Slayer-sense had seemed so important, 

"Yeah, Mom, no problem. Maybe Dawn and I can go to a movie, or something." She was trying to 

be nice here; the brat had had a fit the other day when Buffy called her a child after catching her 

stealing her pasta noodles. 

  
"That's a good idea, Buffy," her mom said eagerly, "But you've got to hurry and come over here, my   
  
appointment's in half an hour."   
  
  
"Okay, don't worry, I'll be there." Buffy assured her mom before hanging up the phone. Sighing   
  
heavily she lifted herself out of bed and looked for Willow. No where in sight, she must have left 

early, probably still baking cookies at Giles's house. Maybe she and Dawn could zip by there; make 

sure she wasn't driving Giles too nuts.   
  
  
Buffy stopped as the odd pressing sensation briefly returned at this thought, before disappearing   
  
again. Odd. Ah well, it was gone, and she was in a rush.   
  
  
----   
  
  
Spike stood half turned in living room of Gile's apartment. His head was cocked slightly to the left,   
  
his body twisted around. An observer might have connected his stance to that of a well-trained 

retriever who perks when he hears the whistle but sits waiting anxiously for the command to sprint.   
  
  
It was almost as if he HAD heard something. Something very very slight, a cry almost, of life, death   
  
and pain. As a creature of darkness he was more attuned to the energies around him, and though 

that had always been Dru's department, Spike harnessed a well-portioned amount of intuition.   
  
  
And his intuition told him that something had changed.   
  
  
Spike half-turned again, almost ready to ask Dru what she thought, if she could hear anything. He   
  
managed to stop before her name was on his lips. She'd left him ages ago now, well, not really, for 

a vampire, but it sure as hell felt like forever. Besides, what would she be doing in Gile's apartment?   
  
  
A wave of self-loathing passed over him. What the hell was this? She'd left him soon after they left,   
  
ran actually, from this bint of a town. Well before the soldier-boys but this bloody chip in his head.   
  
What would she think of him now, if she ever came back? The Big Bad, the Scourge of Europe, 

hiding out in some Watcher's apartment and drinking blood of out a bloody straw!   
  
  
If he could only KILL something! Spike growled as he turned around to find Giles emerging from the   
  
kitchen with a fresh cup of tea. The two men looked at each other for a moment, startled, before 

Giles gave a little cough.   
  
  
"The chip is, I'm assuming, still functioning?" Giles asked with characteristic British calmness.   
  
  
Spike glared at him, "Why wouldn't it be?" he snarled.   
  
  
"Well it's just that, you ... growled."   
  
  
Spike stared at him for a moment before sniffing the air and turning slowly in a circle, a hunter   
  
staking his prey.   
  
  
"Something's not right," he said finally, "I don't know what happened, but everything's shifted."   
  
  
Giles simply raised an eyebrow and Spike, coming full circle glared at him until he spoke.   
  
  
"Everything's ... shifted?"   
  
  
Spike scoffed, "What are you deaf now too, as well as blind?"   
  
  
Giles looked unplussed and Spike resisted the urge to send him flying into the wall. The pain might   
  
have distracted him. Instead he slumped down on the sofa in front of the TV and listened as he 

heard Giles remove and start cleaning his glasses.   
  
  
"Well," he said slowly, "vampires do possess an instinctional awareness of the world around them,   
  
perhaps ---"   
  
  
But they would never find out just what Giles might have perhaps, because just then the phone 

rang and without thinking Spike reached over and answered it, "Hullo?"   
  
  
"Spike!" Buffy's voice came over annoyed, "What are you doing unchained?"   
  
  
"Someone told Red to put some mojo on the apartment, I can't leave even if I jump out   
  
the blimey window." Spike grinned over at Giles, "Sucks for the Watcher here though, almost makes 

it worth it."   
  
  
"Let me talk to Giles, then,"   
  
  
Spike grinned, "What if I don't want to?"   
  
  
"Spiiiikkkkke!!!" Buffy growled, "If you don't hand over this phone right now I will personally shove   
  
twelve pointing ends into your heart and none of them will be wood - that should hurt more than 

the chip, right?"   
  
  
Spike lost none of his cool, "But you don't have twelve different hands, love."   
  
  
"Oh trust me, I will find a way."   
  
  
"Good, might just short the chip out, then I'll come back and we can really fight."   
  
  
Buffy paled for a moment before remembering the last time they really fought, "Oh bring it on."   
  
  
"That was a horrible movie, pet,"   
  
  
"Just give me Giles!!!"   
  
  
Spike looked over at Giles looking at him questioning, "I think he's busy now, love." he did his best   
  
suicidal secretary impression, "but I can take a message for you!"   
  
  
Buffy actually laughed, "Oh fine - just tell him Dawn and I'll be coming over later to make sure that   
  
if he staked you, he at least did it good and proper."   
  
  
Spike grinned, "No problem, love." And replaced the phone as she hung up. He found his hand   
  
lingering on the receiver. She had actually laughed, she thought he was funny...   
  
  
Giles cleared his throat loudly, causing Spike to jump. "I'm assuming that was Buffy?" the Watcher   
  
said, clearly annoyed.   
  
  
Spike grinned cockily, hoping to cover up his slight lapse, "Yup, her and the bit are coming over   
  
later."   
  
  
Giles looked slightly confused, "The Bit?"   
  
  
"Yeah, you know, Dawn. I call her that 'cause she's hardly bite-size."   
  
  
"Hmm..." Giles looked unamused, unlike Buffy. Spike caught his silly grin as he remembered her 

laugh, she sounded happy, her voice sounded within him --- what the hell was he doing?!   
  
  
In a quick motion he rose off the couch and snarled at nothing in particular, Giles watched him for a   
  
moment before asking, "So do you think I should research it? The shifting?"   
  
  
Spike whirled around to face him, "What?"   
  
  
"I said do you think I should research it, or is it just another eternal mystery that is your brain?"   
  
The word were out before he could cut then off and Giles stopped, confused. Those words sounded 

wrong. He shouldn't have said that to Spike -- no, not Spike, Buffy. Those words should have been 

said to Buffy, while holding a book in his hands ... she would be telling him about some dream, and 

he would be confused ... and she would say ...   
  
  
Spike interrupted his thoughts, sounding confused, "Why are you asking my opinion?"   
  
  
The words let Gile's un-happened memories slip away like a bad dream, "Pardon?" he asked, 

suddenly unsure of where or when he was.   
  
  
Spike looked at him questioning, "Why are you asking me if you should research, don't you usually   
  
just bustle off and do it?"   
  
  
Giles sighed as he once again removed his glasses, "Yes well, although Buffy occasionally gives me   
  
vague impressions or thoughts on a situation, no one has ever just stopped out of the blue and 

informed me that 'everything's shifted'. That is very little to go on, and I - quite frankly Spike - am 

exhausted.  You never sat still once last night."   
  
  
Spike looked defensive, "You don't know what its like to be trapped in here when the sun goes 

down!  It gives a vampire the creeps - no one stays inside if they can hunt and feed."   
  
  
Giles looked at him pointedly, "You CAN'T hunt and feed."   
  
  
"Yeah, well - no need to rub in it my blood face!"   
  
  
"Well I'm sure Buffy will do everything she can to do that when her and Dawn come over later." He   
  
replaced his glasses, "I asked your opinion because I need to know if you've ever felt something like   
  
this before, if I will have any success researching it."   
  
  
Spike frowned as he tried to remember, "Well, once kinda. But I was with Dru then, she's the one 

who really felt it."   
  
  
Giles knotted his eyebrows together, "What happened?"   
  
  
Spike shrugged, "I dunno. For a moment, it was like we could ... feel .... this other world. We were   
  
stronger there, there were vamps everywhere and Dru ... she didn't hate me no more ... " A wave 

of sadness overcame him and Spike actually had to pause to wipe a tear away, "Anyways, it was 

gone a second later.  This wasn't quite the same, but it had the same shifty feel." He spun in a light 

circle, "Nothing seems to have changed though."   
  
  
Giles eyed him strangely, a feeling of almost pity had escaped him when he saw Spike suddenly   
  
emotional, and he sharply cut it off. This was a vampire who would turn them over to the enemy at 

the first chance they gave him.   
  
  
"Well," he sighed, "Choices occur all the time that can change the entire world - for the better or   
  
the worse. They are not necessarily supernatural, but simply important events that someone's 

actions set in motion. Perhaps something like that happened here."   
  
  
Spike looked unconvinced and Giles turned back to his tea, "Anyways, it's not as if everything is   
  
suddenly different, but I'll make note of it for future reference. Sometimes these kind of things can   
  
only be studied as pivotal points in history."   
  
  
Spike looked thoughtful, "But you folks are changing history all the time, re-writing prophecies,   
  
avoiding apocalypses. What else could have happened to change our world more than that?   
  
---   
  
From his spot on the carpeted floor of his locked office, candles spread all around as his spell   
  
was finally completed, Mark Kingston gave a humourless laugh.   
  
  
"Something you could never guess."


	4. Wiccan Worries

**Something Green - Part 4**   
  
  
Willow Rosenburg sat in a circle with thirteen other girls who were pretending to be witches. We 

walk in the darkness with the wolf at our side -- please. Willow sighed and tried to contain her 

disappointment as the topic went straight from un-enlightening prayer to bake sales and 

newsletters. This was just too much, it was bad enough that they hadn't done a smiggin of magic 

yet, Willow was beginning to doubt they even KNEW about the forces they were apparently 

invoking. She didn't know if it was her recent heavy-magic usage - that spell HAD been pretty 

powerful, even if it hadn't gone quite the way she hoped it would - but Willow just couldn't stand 

another minute of this blabbering talk.   
  


  
"Well, this is good," Willow found herself speaking to the group, "I mean, this is all fun, ya know,   
  
but there's other stuff that we might show an interest in, as a Wicca group."   
  
  


"Like what?" the girl in the head seat didn't sound very open when she asked. Willow was about to   
  
mention, you know, something about the wacky notion of spells, when suddenly a cold wind swept 

through her, followed closely by a red-hot flash.   
  
  


Willow shot up from her seat and looked around. A wail sounded suddenly inside her soul - the torn   
  
sound of a child ripped before it was ready...   
  


  
The group was staring at her as if she'd gone insane, unmindful of their looks she quickly asked the   
  
group, "Did you hear that?"   
  


  
Now they DEFINATELY thought she was insane. Amused glances invaded the circle as girls started   
  
whispering back and forth together. Willow saw them and grew suddenly angry - how many times 

had she put her life on the line to help save ungrateful people such as these? Something could be 

seriously wrong, and all they'd ever do was giggle.   
  
  


Upset, Willow turned to leave the group, and as she did, her hard gaze fell upon a pretty blond girl   
  
sitting in the corner. She looked frightened, and was staring at Willow as if wondering if she could   
  
somehow make it better.   
  
  


Did she hear it too? Willow wondered, she was about to ask her when another cry - not so much   
  
separate, but more an echo of the first - sounded in her ears. The blond girl shot up from her seat 

and with a quick look at Willow, ran from the room.   
  
  


Willow watched her go, unminding of the staring girls around her. "Tara!" they cried, and Willow   
  
remembered the name. Tara. It was rather pretty.   
  
  


She had to run though; she was supposed to meet Buffy and Dawn at Gile's place later. There might   
  
even be some cookies left.


	5. Ice Cream Rumblings and Upset Stomachs

**Something Green - Part 5**

  
Buffy had made it over to the house in a quick enough time that Dawn was alone for barely minutes 

after her mother had left. Her stomach started cramping up as soon as she sat down, though, and 

Buffy was forced to run to the bathroom before she threw up on the carpet floor.   
  
  
Oh I can't be getting sick now, Buffy thought as she stood heaving in front of the toilet, I've got   
  
finals that I have to pass soon! Amazing, he thought, Buffy Summers worrying about finals, if only 

Giles could hear her now.   
  
  
Her heaving stomach quenched that thought as another rumble threw itself from her gut. My God, 

Buffy thought as she rinsed out her mouth, I really couldn't be just a normal girl. Imagine getting 

sick like this all the time? Good thing the Slayer package includes cures for the common ills.   
  
  
Those same Slayer skills should have this nasty bug wiped out before she could scream "breakfast!"   
  
tommorrow, as for right now, she didn't have the least inclination to eat.   
  
  
"Are you done already?" Dawn complained from the front door, "Mom said you were thinking 

movie's for today - there's this great new one out about this demon, and he -"   
  
  
"Dawn," Buffy explained weakly, stepping out of the bathroom, "I get to work with the creatures on 

a regular basis, I really don't want to have to deal with them on my off-days too." Her stomach 

finally loosened as she gripped her jacket, "Isn't there some girly movie we can go see?"   
  
  
Dawn huffed, "Well maybe if you took me out patrolling once or twice during the week I might be 

sick and tired of them too."   
  
  
Buffy smiled, "Nice try. If mom ever caught you patrolling you'd be chained to the door of your 

room for the next hundred or so years."   
  
  
"Xander let me help out that one summer two years ago when you were all "I've-run-away-ish."   
  
  
Buffy opened the front door and they stepped out into the sun, "Good thing for him I wasn't   
  
there then."   
  
  
Dawn loosened and smiled back, "So, we're all movie-like, then we'll head over to Gile's?"   
  
  
"That's the plan."   
  
  
"Can we insert ice-cream into there somewhere?"   
  
  
"Boy, you're really sucking this 'sister-bonding-thing' dry aren't you?"   
  
  
Dawn grinned, "Yup! And loving --- oh my God, what is that?"   
  
  
Buffy looked beyond her to see a towering, giant snake staring at them from across the street. 

What the? Buffy thought, can't nasty things wait until dark to go ruining my day?   
  
  
The snake had obviously seen them though, and it regarded Dawn with extra curiosity. This can't be   
  
good, Buffy thought, and pulled Dawn back from the porch into the house.   
  
  
"Stay there," she said in Slayer tone, "I'll take care of it."   
  
  
But the demon had other ideas. With lightening quickness it zipped around the yard and ran up the   
  
sides of the house. Buffy took a step back from the door to try and get a glimpse of it over the roof,   
  
but the snake took that opportunity to run down the door and peer through the screen at the wide-

eyed Dawn.   
  
  
"Dawn! Get back!" Buffy shouted, but her sister, shell-shocked, didn't move. The snake stuck out a   
  
forked tongue and seemed to taste the air in front of it. Buffy desperately tried to think of a way to   
  
bash the creature in without plowing it closer to Dawn.   
  
  
But the serpent merely drew its tongue back in its huge mouth and leapt off the roof and down the   
  
street. Buffy didn't even think about chasing it, she had a sister to worry about.   
  
  
Running back to the door, Buffy through the screen open and grabbed her sister into a tight hug. 

Dawn enthusiastically returned it and the two sisters stood there for a moment, basking in the 

knowledge that both of them were alright. Finally Buffy pulled back and shifted her head to examine 

Dawn's figure.   
  
  
"It didn't hurt you?"   
  
  
Dawn shook her head, her strength already returning, "No, it just kinda sniffed me, then left."   
  
  
Buffy looked confused, "Sniffed?"   
  
  
Dawn smiled at her, "Yeah, you know - snakes smell with their tongues?" At Buffy's blank look she   
  
sighed dramatically, "Don't they teach you anything at that fancy college?"   
  
  
Buffy returned the smile, "Nah, they try, but I just keep winning the fight. Come on," she tugged on   
  
Dawn's jacket lightly, "let's get over to Gile's house. Somehow, I think that ice-cream will have to   
  
wait."   
  
  
"Buffy?" Dawn said weakly, "I think you're right, girly movie sounds great."   
  
  
Buffy smiled, "Knew you'd work around to it eventually. Come on, Gile's probably itching for a good   
  
researching project. And somehow I know just the thing."


	6. The Initative

**Something Green - Part 6**   
  
  
"Girls are confusing, did you know that man?" Riley Finn asked his best friend and closest confidant   
  
Forest.   
  
  
Forest simply smiled, "You don't say?"   
  
  
Riley went on, still talking as he climbed the ladder to the upper floor of the initiative, "I mean -   
  
take Buffy for example," Forest rolled his eyes, "she's this great girl, smart, funny, but she does the   
  
weirdest things. Like the other day, she goes off and tells me that she's getting married, then the 

next day she denies it and laughs at me for believing her! I mean - isn't that a bit odd?"   
  
  
Forest reached the upper level, calmly ignoring the military and demonic individuals around him, "If 

she's so weird, why are you so totally infatuated with her?"   
  
  
Riley threw his hands in the air, "I am NOT infatuated!! She's just..." a dumb smile played out 

across his face, "an interesting study."   
  
  
Forest laughed at him, "Yeah, okay buddy."   
  
  
Riley looked suddenly glum, "I just hate lying to her all the time, I wish I could tell her the truth."   
  
  
Forest replied calmly, "Well, you can't"   
  
  
"Yeah, I know I can't, but it bugs me this time."   
  
  
"This is the burden we bear, brother. We have a gig that would inevitably cause any girl living   
  
to think we are cool upon cool. Yet we must Clark Kent our way through the dating scene never to 

use our unfair advantage." The two commandos stopped to let a cart carrying others drive by, 

"Thank God we're pretty."   
  
  
Riley laughed, then quickly sobered, "It's just that - Buffy's special."   
  
  
Forest stopped then and turned to him, "You think she's special. Wow. The first 486 times you told   
  
me it didn't register but now I 'see' that you think she's special."   
  
  
Riley smiled, "See, you're naturally inclined to talk too much, I don't have that"   
  
  
"Then get with the kissing!" he said as they stepped into an elevator.   
  
  
Riley spoke into the voice box, "Riley Finn."   
  
  
The elevator responded, "Initiative vocal code match complete."   
  
  
The two men rode the elevator to the top floor and Riley turned to Forest, "It's just not that   
  
simple. I don't even really know much about her yet."   
  
  
Forest shrugged, "What's to know?"   
  
  
Riley sighed, "I'm not sure, it just feels like something big's going on with her that I can't quite   
  
realize."   
  
  
"So what DO you know about her?"   
  
  
"Well..."   
  
  
"Where's she from?" Forest prompted.   
  
  
"Sunnydale, I'm pretty sure."   
  
  
"Does she have any family? Parents? Siblings?"   
  
  
Riley shook his head, "She lives with her mom, I think something happened to her dad."   
  
  
"Only child?"   
  
  
"I think so, never mentioned any brothers or sisters." he paused in thought and Forest laughed,   
  
clapping him on the back, "Wow!" he said, "You really DON'T know much about her!!"   
  
  
The elevator stopped and stepping out the two men saw a small crowd gathered around a large new   
  
computer screen in the section designated for surveillance monitoring.   
  
  
"Look's like the new analytical wave and quantum projector is up and running," Riley mentioned as   
  
they walked over. Professor Walsh saw them and waved them closer.   
  
  
"It finally came in - took long enough but it's just about to begin the preliminary sweeps." She 

looked at them proud, "With this machine we'll be able to locate any anomalous energy readings 

within the city limits."   
  
  
Forest smiled, "Hostiles won't know what hit them."   
  
  
Riley smiled at him, he was glad Forest was so willing to talk with him, maybe he could get him and   
  
Buffy to meet, they'd surely hit it off and then ---   
  
  
A large wail interrupted his thoughts as the siren on the new machine started spitting out 

information.   
  
  
"What the?" Professor Walsh leaned in closer to the screen, "That's impossible!"   
  
  
"What?" Riley tried to get a better look.   
  
  
Professor Walsh ignored him and looked towards the technician, "Is this some kind of trick?"   
  
  
The technician looked frightened, "No madam! I didn't do anything, I just turned it on and a 

moment later it started going haywire! I can turn it off if you like."   
  
  
"No!" Professor Walsh leaned in closer to the screen, reading the numbers and figures displayed 

there, "No, this has got to be some kind of new hostile. its readings are incredible."   
  
  
Riley managed to catch a look, then frowned, "But look at this," he pointed at one of the figures,   
  
"according to this its spilling all kinds of wave-length, including radio-active energies. But - " he   
  
waved his arm towards the radioactive detectors around the room, "No one else is picking up 

anything."   
  
  
Professor Walsh looked intrigued, "Indeed." She straightened and turned to Riley and Forest,   
  
"assemble a team immediately, I want both of you to head it. Stay in full combat clothes, this thing   
  
could be dangerous, but travel in unmarked vans. I don't want it to see military and be scared off,   
  
and then there's the public to worry about too. The last thing we need is spectators."   
  
  
Riley and Forest both nodded and Riley asked, "How do you want it taken?"   
  
  
Professor Walsh never hesitated, "Alive if at all possible - if it proves to be too dangerous to   
  
capture and remain on the streets, kill it immediately."   
  
  
Riley and Forest nodded again and the Professor continued, "In case such measures become necessary, take all the surveillance equipment you can, I want to understand how it can 

demonstrate these kinds of signals and still be alive."   
  
  
Riley looked over to the technician, "Where's it located?"   
  
  
The tech punched in a couple buttons then turned back to him, "In Sunnydale, Sixteen thirty Rivelo,   
  
near Hadley."   
  
  
Riley was already turning to gather his team before the address registered on him, Rivelo? He 

wondered, why does that sound so familiar?"


	7. Passion Buddies

**Something Green - Part 7   
**  
  
  
Willow crossed the last few feet that remained between her and Gile's apartment door. The incident 

at the wannabi-wicca's meeting had disturbed her enough that she wanted to check with Giles that 

everything was on the A-okay in Sunnydale before heading to her afternoon classes. Willow didn't 

really know how much she could actually tell Giles about what she heard, or at least thought she 

had heard, in the group that morning, but it would be worth it to make sure nothing big had 

happened why she wasted time with the 'wicca-lacking-the-wicca-part girl gossip group'.   
  
  
  
It might just have been some spirit upset that the Powers That Be were being discussed like bake 

sales, Willow giggled, if she were a spirit she sure would be! She knew that wasn't it, though, the 

sound had been too ... human like ... for that, though it still carried a tone of un-earthly origin ...   
  
  
  
Willow sighed, she'd tell Giles if she felt like telling Giles. It was odd, as she powers continued   
  
to grow, Willow found herself relying less and less on the man half the scoobies thought of as their   
  
adopted father. She hadn't even told him about the 'will-be-done' spell until after she had done it, 

of course, Willow almost smiled, everyone knows the big success THAT spell was - but she had 

acted alone on it, and almost felt proud for that fact.   
  
  
  
But it was still a good idea to check things out with Giles before classes though. Besides, Buffy and   
  
Dawn were supposed to show up some time today and she hadn't gotten a chance to chat with 

Dawn for a couple of --   
  
  
  
A short cut-off yelp sounded from inside Gile's apartment and interrupted her train of thought.   
  
Giles! Willow thought, oh Goddess - she remembered, Spike was in there! She'd done the spell to 

keep him in, but if he had found a way to attack Giles..!   
  
  
  
Without even pausing to try the door, Willow stretched out her increasing mental control, she felt 

the lock was thrown but it took less than an ounce of her power to twist back the dead-bolt and 

throw open the door.   
  
  
  
Willow rushed inside, her fear for Giles sending currents of power swirling around her, and stopped   
  
shocked when she saw the two men sitting on the couch, necks strained towards the TV, arms 

making concentric rounds from a bowl of wheat-a-bits to their mouth's and back again. Willow 

looked at the screen - Passions. Spike gave another short yelp as something - she had no idea what 

- exciting happened on the screen.   
  
  
  
She couldn't help it, she laughed.   
  
  
  
Two heads flipped towards her and in one voice said, "SHhhhh!!!"   
  
  
  
Willow laughed harder and Gile's seemed to realize who it was.   
  
  
  
"Willow!" he jumped of the couch and crossed the distance towards her, "Uh, what are you doing 

here this early? Is everything okay?" he sounded flustered.   
  
  
  
Willow pointed towards the TV, and giggled, "You were watching Passions?" She laughed harder, 

"With Spike?"   
  
  
  
Giles cleared his throat and started wiping his glasses, "Yes, well - Spike here," he turned around   
  
to indicated the vampire on his chesterfield who hadn't yet moved, "Was quite insistent that he be   
  
allowed to watch the show, and I couldn't very well leave him alone for any amount of time, so this   
  
seemed to be the best way to keep an eye on..."   
  
  
  
Willow laughed again and Spike called from the couch, "Oh come on, hush up!"   
  
  
  
Giles looked embarrassed and replaced his glasses. Willow stared at Spike for a second before 

turning to Giles in a hushed voice, "How's he been?"   
  
  
  
Giles looked relieved at the change in conversation - replying in the same tone of voice he said, 

"Quite well, actually. There was a slight incident this morning, some sort of vibration he seemed to 

pick up on. I was going to research it but there wasn't very much to go on."   
  
  
  
Willow frowned, "A disturbance?"   
  
  
  
Giles nodded, "Yes, he got quite hostile - said it felt like everything was changing, or some such."   
  
  
  
Willow was still frowning, if Spike had heard it too that could mean it was something fairly   
  
serious. Maybe she should mention it to Giles after all....   
  
  
  
"Well," she started, "I didn't get that particular impression," Giles's eyebrow's rose, "but I felt   
  
something this morning too." She blushed and continued awkwardly, "That's why I came over here 

actually, I thought you might have some kind of idea what was going on."   
  
  
  
Giles shook his head, "No, I'm quite at a loss here, actually."   
  
  
  
Spike had gotten up during a commercial and now stood behind Willow. "What did YOU feel?" he 

asked, sounding almost concerned.   
  
  
  
Willow didn't appear to notice his shift in attitude but Giles looked at him strangely as Willow   
  
replied, "Well, it was hard to describe actually -- it felt like, it SOUNDED like, a scream almost. Not   
  
really terrifying, more like scared," she paused for a second, "and it sounded almost human."   
  
  
  
Giles frowned, "You were at your Wicca meeting were you not?" Willow nodded, "Did anyone else 

hear it? Or is this somehow being directed towards us? Some kind of call for help, perhaps?"   
  
  
  
Willow started to shake her head before stopping, "No wait, there was this one girl - Tara, was I 

think her name. She heard it too, I'm pretty sure, except that she seemed really scared and when it 

sort of … of echoed, she ran off."   
  
  
  
"Echoed?"   
  
  
  
Willow tried hard to find the words, "Yeah, like ... like when someone scream's against a cliff, and 

the echo bounces back ... except that this sounded, muffled, almost - like it hadn't been against a 

cliff, but in a cave."   
  
  
  
"Or a box." Spike put in.   
  
  
  
"A box?" Giles was confused.   
  
  
  
"It was something Dru tried to do once," Spike explained, an odd smile on his face, "She was all 

into screams, you know. Especially when she was sick. Said they made her feel better. Got some 

warlock to stuff screams in a box, put some charm on it. She was all upset that the screams were 

muffled by the container - I couldn't ever hear it though." he frowned, "Not like I could today, 

anyways."   
  
  
  
Willow looked at him, "What did YOU hear?"   
  
  
  
Spike shrugged, "Not really sure. It just felt like … like everything had shifted. Like the world   
  
wasn't the same as it had been a minute before."   
  
  
  
Willow looked over to Giles, "Sound like anything we can research?"   
  
  
  
Giles seemed disturbed, "We can try, of course. It's still not a lot to go on." he looked at his   
  
watch, "Buffy will be by later, we can ask her if she sensed anything unusual."   
  
  
  
----   
  
  
  
Buffy and Dawn walked down Rivelo Drive. Dawn seemed better, the snake-demon had scared her, 

but Buffy could see that her sister was the type to bounce back from such horrors. She sighed, 

Dawn was probably used to them by now.   
  
  
  
Sometimes she felt guilty for being the Slayer, for Dawn and her Mom's sake more than her own 

anymore.  It had been hard on them, and she knew Dawn held some resentment over her for her 

destiny. Buffy was just happy Dawn had the chance to live a normal life, maybe she could enjoy it 

enough for both of them.   
  
  
  
That snake this morning had been really weird though. The way it had stared at Dawn, like it KNEW   
  
her somehow. Buffy couldn't wait to talk to Giles, he always knew the answer to these freaky 

demon things. Maybe she would leave Dawn at Giles's and go hunting for it. It hadn't tried to 

actually hurt them, that was true, but it was big and demon-y, and couldn't be good for general 

Sunnydale safety.   
  
  
  
Buffy looked up and spotted an ice-cream parlor on the corner, "Hey Dawny, wanna stop for that 

cone after all?"   
  
  
  
Dawn looked over for a moment before shaking her head, "Nah, Giles's house it kinda just up head 

and I wouldn't mind getting indoors again." She looked over at Buffy and smiled, "You had a tough 

time with that snake though - bet all you're Slayer strength is in re-coup stage. Think you could still 

beat me if we race it? To Giles?"   
  
  
  
Buffy winked at her and said, "Well, if you want to get beat that badly--" she stopped as Dawn 

suddenly took off laughing, "Hey!" she cried as she ran after her, "We're supposed to say 'on your 

mark, get set go!'"   
  
  
Dawn looked back and laughed, and the race was on.   
  
  
  
----   
  
  
  
"It's on the move, Sir."   
  
  
  
Riley looked over at the technician as he sat fiddling with some dials. He frowned, "How can you 

tell?"   
  
  
  
The tech pointed to the lab-to resting on the dashboard of the un-marked van. "I set up one of the   
  
work-stations as a server before we tried out the new program. I can access the information from 

here."  He nodded at the screen, "It's definitely moving sir, running perpendicular of its previously 

noted location."   
  
  
  
Forest, sitting behind the wheel glanced over at the map, "I know that section of town," he said   
  
confidently, "We'll catch 'em."   
  
  
  
Riley nodded in satisfaction, "I'll get the taser's ready." He moved into the back and started 

gathering equipment, pausing momentarily to consider the tranquilizer rifle before shrugging and 

hosting it up.   
  
Better safe than sorry, he thought and laughed, it was something his mother would have said. He   
  
wondered what she would think if she could see him now. He shrugged again, such thoughts were 

not for the present time.   
  
  
  
Just then the technician gave a short yelp and Riley turned back to face him.   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
The man was pointing dumbfound at a large spike on the screen. "This --" he took a deep breath,   
  
"This isn't possible."   
  
  
  
Riley frowned, and Forest snarled, "I thought we already went over this!"   
  
  
The tech shook his head, "No, no you don't understand ... one was a fluke, a mistake maybe," his 

eyes went wide, "But this - this --"   
  
  
  
"But what?!"   
  
  
  
The technician looked up at him with fear in his eyes, "But now there's two of them."


	8. The Truth Comes Out

**Something Green - Part 8**   
  


  
  
Riley frowned, "Two of them? Where?"   
  
  
  
The tech punched a few buttons, "Uh - some apartment complex, only a couple blocks away."   
  
  
  
Forest shook his head, "This is a new development - we should check back with Professor Walsh."   
  
  
  
Riley disagreed, "No - they're spread out right now, it's our best chance to capture or kill at least 

one of them."   
  
  
  
Forest thought a minute and nodded slowly, "I guess you're right, but let's make this quick - I don't   
  
want to be around two demon's giving off waves like that, no matter what the other dectors say."   
  
  
  
Riley thought for a moment, "You're right - I'll call in for backup."   
  
  
----   
  
  
  
Buffy opened the door of Giles's apartment to find Willow, Giles and Spike sitting around a table   
  
with various books and ancient texts spread out in front of them. She stopped and crossed her arms 

over her chest, "My best friend, honoured mentor and mortal-enemy in one room around one table 

and no one's dusty or dead?" she shook her head, "This will take some getting used to."   
  
  
  
Willow gave her an apologetic smile while Spike just flashed her a grin, "Sorry, pet," he winked at 

her "I can always make a leap for the Watcher if you like."   
  
  
  
Buffy smiled beside herself and Spike felt an odd warm feeling suffuse itself through his un-beating   
  
heart.   
  
  
  
Willow out-right laughed at his comment, "Oh you can't do that! You'll loose your Passion's buddy!" 

she giggled.   
  
  
  
Giles cleared his throat and started wiping his glasses. Buffy caught the motion and raised an   
  
eyebrow, "You three have obviously had a productive morning," she said as Dawn stumbled in 

behind her, huffing and puffing.   
  
  
  
"Okay - next time we race, remind me to do it only after you fight an even BIGGER demon!"   
  
  
  
Giles looked concerned, "A demon?"   
  
  
  
Buffy shrugged, "Yeah, it caught us leaving the house this morning. Really big and snake-y. Out in   
  
  


broad daylight too."   
  
  
  
Dawn jumped in, "Yeah - and it didn't even try to attack us. It just slithered up to me and stared."   
  
She did an impression and Willow and Spike laughed.   
  
  
  
Giles didn't look to amused, "Yes well, I assume Buffy .... er, defeated it?"   
  
  
  
Buffy slumped into a chair, "No," she huffed, "It just looked at Dawn then slithered away. Fast too.   
  
I was wondering if you wanted to watch Dawn for a couple hours so I could go hunting for it."   
  
  
  
Dawn made a face, "I'm not the one who needs a Watcher, besides, he's got Spike to look out for."   
  
  
  
Spike smiled at her, "That's okay, bit, you can chill here with us." He winked at her, put his hand to   
  
the side of his face and said just loud enough for Buffy to hear, "We just wont tell big sis we let you   
  
research."   
  
  
  
Buffy glared at him, "My sister is NOT allowed to research!"   
  
  
  
Spike just rolled his eyes, "Yeah, right, love. That's a good plan. Have her all unprepared for those   
  
demons that'll come over her just because she's the Slayer's sister."   
  
  
  
Buffy looked hurt and Willow stood up for her best friend, "Hey! That's not fair, Buffy would never   
  
let anything happen to Dawn!"   
  
  
  
Spike shook his head, "I know she wouldn't LET anything," he turned to Buffy, "but you're not going 

to be able to be everywhere at once. Sooner or later something's going to come after her and she 

has to know how to protect herself."   
  
  
  
Buffy looked horrified, "You can't mean fighting lessons?!"   
  
  
  
Spike shrugged, "If that's what she needs." He saw her anguished look and softened, "It'd be for 

her own good, Buffy. Think of what you'd do if anything happened to her."   
  
  
  
Giles watched as wrestled that truth with herself and found himself nodding at Spike's logic. It was   
  
true, none of them could afford to be helpless. Dawn was thirteen now, she could begin some 

simple training.   
  
  
  
Giles paused for a moment to consider what Spike had said, what if anything HAD happened to 

Dawn? Would Buffy be able to handle it? He watched her trying to decide that herself and felt pity 

for her, he knew better than anyone the resistance Buffy had first proposed to her destiny, and he 

knew the pain it had consistently caused her. She wanted to spare Dawn that kind of pain, but Giles 

had been wondering for a while now when Dawn should start training. He sighed, good thing Spike 

was here - no one else would have had the daring to ask.   
  
  
  
Giles looked over to see Spike nug Dawn gently and he wondered, had the vampire always been 

this nice to Buffy's younger sister? He found it difficult to recall a distinct memory, but he got the 

feeling Spike always had.   
  
  
  
"What do you think, Bit?" Spike asked her.   
  
  
  
Dawn smiled, she loved how Spike treated her like an adult, even though she was, like, a billion 

years younger than him.   
  
  
  
"I'd like to know some things," she admitted, "When that snake came today, I wanted to be able to 

do something. I knew Buffy wouldn't have made it if it tried to hurt me, but I didn't know how to 

stop it."  She blushed and turned to her sister, "I would think it super cool if you could teach me 

some moves, Buff, if you didn't mind too much."   
  
  
  
Buffy looked at her, remembered her own feeling of helplessness this morning and sighed. "All 

right," she said, "We'll start tomorrow, I have a couple hours off in the afternoon." She made a face, 

"But if Mom asks it was HIS idea!" she pointed towards Spike who smiled, "No problem, pet," he 

said, "I'd be happy to explain it to Joyce."   
  
  
  
Giles, who had been watching the vampire with an odd expression on his face, couldn't resist   
  
questioning him, "Why, Spike?" He asked, "Why would you care if Dawn got hurt?"   
  
  
  
Spike looked embarrassed for a moment - because I like her, he answered in his head - because 

she's fun and doesn't mind when I'm around. Because she treats me like a person. Because it would 

hurt Buffy if something happened to her -- his last thought startled him. Did he actually---? No, it 

was impossible for a vampire to care about a Slayer .... wasn't it?   
  
  
  
For a moment Spike let himself remember what had happened that day Willow put a spell on them. 

He had ENJOYED being loved by someone so much - he could with so little effort remember the look 

in her eyes when she said she loved it....but it was the spell, Spike. He told himself, you're still 

waiting for Drusilla, remember? But Dru had left him, and she wouldn't want him back now. Spike 

took a moment to glance at Buffy, an odd look on her face as she waited for him to answer Giles's 

question - did she or could she ever trust him now? Would it be possible to become a part of her 

life? After all, here he was researching with the Scoobies! Another warm feeling in his chest. Odd. 

Was this worth the price of the chip? Did he even WANT her trust? Did he -- Spike asked himself 

honestly -- want to feel that way again? Loved? No, not just loved - loved by the Slayer. Loved by 

Buffy.   
  
  
  
Realizing his answer was taking too long a time, Spike chuckled to clear his throat and gave the 

group a wicked grin, "Just don't want nothin' to happen to Bite Size before I get this chip out and 

can snack on 'er myself. She's too tasty for a lesser demon."   
  
  
  
Dawn just laughed at him and pretended to be scared, but Buffy snorted, "Yeah right. The moment 

you get that chip out everyone else can just wave 'bye bye Spike' with a broom and dustpan."   
  
  
  
Spike laughed, a deep energizing laugh, and Buffy found herself for some reason blushing. He 

sounded almost normal when he laughed, she realized, the cockiness, the arrogance disappeared 

and he almost seemed - pleasant.   
  
  
  
Buffy rose to go, "Okay then," she said to the group, "I'll head off and try to track down the latest   
  
demon, Dawn why don't you call Mom later to tell her---" a loud THUMP-THUMP-THUMP from 

downstairs interrupted her and Buffy turned around, annoyed. What was that? Hundreds of more 

THUMPS raced the stairs and she realized it was the sound of footsteps, multiplied by several 

people.   
  
  
  
"You having some kind of party?" Buffy laughed at Giles, stepping towards the door, "And you didn't   
  
even invite us?"   
  
  
  
Suddenly there was a loud BOOM -- wood and red hot ashes spilling over her as the door blew up 

from the outside. Dawn screamed and Spike was on his feet, fists cocked in fight mode. Buffy found 

herself reeling back from the smoke and splinters to see several soldiers in combat armour and face 

plates rush into Giles's apartment.   
  
  
  
"Nobody move!" a voice shouted, "This is a military investigation! Everyone lie on the floor----"   
  
  
  
Buffy had never been good at following orders, before the officer could finish his sentence she had 

shut him up with a punch to the face plate and ended the conversation by throwing his body against 

the opposite wall. Another officer rushed her with a metal rod but Buffy ducked around it and kicked 

him until he landed atop his already struggling to rise buddy, pinning them both to the floor.   
  
  
  
Three more men remained a threat in the room. Twp of them were approaching Dawn with what 

looked like a small computer and some kind of taser. Dawn screamed and Spike was suddenly in 

front of her. Buffy watched as used split second thinking to fool the chip long enough to leap out 

with a double front kick, sending both men into the opposite wall. Before he himself had landed, 

Spike was already doubling over in pain, but his bright move left only one last individual for Buffy to 

deal with.   
  
  
  
Leaping over the table that separated her and her new worst enemy, Buffy threw a punch toward 

the guy's midsection followed by a spinning upper side kick. "Buffy?" the man asked just before she 

connected, sending him flying into the wall.   
  
  
  
Buffy stopped, confused. "What?" she asked, then realized the man was in no present condition to 

speak.  She glanced once around the room, Dawn was tending to Spike, helping him to sit up and 

getting him some aspirin. Willow was casting a spell over the two individuals in a heap in the 

corner. Some kind of mystical net was falling over them and though they struggled, as Willow 

chanted they had no hope of getting up. Giles had already retrieved their fallen weapons and 

checked on the guys Spike had totaled.   
  
  
  
The man Buffy had hit was slowly trying to lift himself off the floor and into a standing position. She   
  
picked him up by the jacket and through him off the floor and into the wall. The man caught his 

balance roughly and through his hands in the air.   
  
  
  
"Wait! Wait!" he shouted, sounding this time oddly familiar, "Buffy wait!"   
  
  
  
She waited. The man reached up to removed the mask that protected his face as the plate lifted   
  
she stopped in shock, "Riley?"   
  
  
  
He looked angry, nervous, shocked and confused, which was essentially what Buffy was feeling right   
  
then too. "Uh, hi." he said with a small smile.   
  
  
  
Buffy wasn't impressed, "Hi? You just busted in here and ruined Giles's apartment! Not to mention   
  
manhandling my sister -- and what's with the suit?"   
  
  
  
"Uh," Riley paused, trying to organize his thoughts, and looked quickly around the room. His eyes   
  
paused on Spike and he frowned, "Hostile 17?"   
  
  
  
Spike sudden spun away from Dawn's care with his hands up in fists at the sound of his lab rat 

name.  Spotting Riley he snarled, "So you're the bastards who did this too me? You'd better watch 

your back soldier-boy, cause when I get this chip out I'm going to rip off your head and drink from 

your brain stem!"   
  
  
  
Riley looked unintimidated at Spike's threats but turned to Buffy in shock, "Buffy what are you 

doing with a hostile in your living room?!"   
  
  
  
Buffy crossed her arms over her chest, "What are you doing in combat arm trying to kidnap my 

sister?"   
  
  
  
Riley paused, "Sister?"   
  
  
  
Dawn looked up from her chair, "Hi, Riley," she said coolly.   
  
  
  
Riley seemed to be searching his memory and Buffy prompted him, "Dawn? She ate apples with us

 the other day, when Willow came by."   
  
  
  
Riley seemed to clue in, "Ohh," he said, then stopped and looked even more confused. "Wait --" He   
  
stepped away from Buffy to reach behind and his back and Spike growled and took a step forward, 

Riley didn't seem to notice but Buffy certainly did. 

Quietly so Riley wouldn't hear she whispered to Spike, "Thanks."   
  
  
  
She meant more for the help in the fight, knowing the pain it caused him, then for his small display   
  
of protection - thought that was the move that confused her the most. Spike said nothing back and 

it was something she'd have to worry about later, anyways.   
  
  
  
Riley's hands came back into view grasping a rectangular shaped metal box with some kind of 

display screen on the front. He waved it in Dawn's direction and gave a little yelp.   
  
  
  
"Oh my God ... we've got to get you back to the Initiative!" he said, scrabbling to grabbing his 

things.   
  
  
  
Buffy watched him in confusion, "What? Why? Where is that?"   
  
  
  
Riley didn't seem to hear her, he looked over at his men under Willow's spell, "Hey - men on you're   
  
feet!"   
  
  
  
Buffy was getting impatient, "They can't move, now what are you talking about?"   
  
  
  
Riley looked confused, "What's she doing?" he asked, indicating Willow.   
  
  
  
Spike growled, "None of your damn business, mate. Now answer the lady's question."   
  
  
  
Riley looked at him then, and back to Buffy. Stumbling, he pulled out his metal box. "Um - Buffy I   
  
don't know how to say this, but it looks like something's really wrong with your sister."   
  
  
  
Dawn stood up at his words and walked over to them. Buffy unconsciously put a protective hand on her arm, "What do you mean?"   
  
  
  
Riley tried to sum things up, "I work for a branch of the military, the Initiative. My team was sent   
  
here because we picked up this bizarre energy reading. We thought it was a demon or some kind of 

new hostile, but.." he paused and fiddled with some dials, "But if I'm reading this right, and I know 

I am, then it's Dawn whose giving off the energy waves we've been monoriting and seems to be the 

one emitting radiation signatures that just -- just aren't possible!" He looked up at her, then over to 

Dawn, "These are radiation waves that should instantly kill any living tissue within a twelve-mile 

radius. We have got to get you checked out as soon as possible."   
  
  
  
Spike shoved past Buffy to stand between Riley and Dawn, "No way. I was there - in your little   
  
'Initiative'. I know what you things to do people - she's not going anywhere with you."   
  
  
  
Riley looked annoyed, "You've got the terminology wrong, we're the people - you're the things."   
  
  
  
Spike snorted, "Yeah, whatever you say."   
  
  
  
Dawn looked frightened and Buffy stepped in front of her beside Spike, "Look Riley," she began, "I   
  
don't know what the hell is going on here. I don't know what's with you're scanners and I sure as 

hell don't know what's up with you, but my sister isn't going anywhere."   
  
  
  
Riley looked defensive, " 'You' don't know what's going on? I think you're some college kid, but here   
  
you are throwing punches 'I' can't even throw, handing out with vampires and hostiles -" he looked 

over again at Willow, "and what's she? A witch?!"   
  
  
  
Buffy crossed her arms and said simply, "I'm the Slayer."   
  
  
  
Riley looked confused, "The what?"   
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head, "Enough - I don't have time to go into details. What do you want to do to 

her?"   
  
  
Riley shook his head, "Wait - you haven't told me anything!"   
  
  
  
"I've said my explanation - its not my fault you don't understand it." Spike smirked at that, "Now   
  
answer me - what do you intend to do with my sister, if you're right and something is wrong?"   
  
  
  
"Just some simple test's - nothing big. We have to understand why she's spitting out so much 

energy, it could be a demon infection, she could be an unwilling host to something --" he went on 

as Giles walked over, "--there's a ton of things we need to check."   
  
  
  
"Buffy," Giles asked slowly, "Who is this?"   
  
  
  
Buffy snorted, "Just some guy from school."   
  
  
  
Riley looked hurt but continued, "You don't understand - we have to get her check out now! She   
  
shouldn't be standing there, not alive at any rate! She should be long dead from radiation 

poisoning, and frankly, so should everyone else here."   
  
  
  
Buffy still didn't look convinced but Dawn reached up and placed a hand on her arm, "Buffy - maybe 

we should go." Spike opened his mouth to protest, but Dawn cut him off, "I mean I feel fine - but 

that demon this morning? Remember how he just stared at me? Maybe he - sensed - some kind of 

danger." She looked scared for a second, "Maybe you could all be in danger. I - I just don't want to 

hurt anyone."   
  
  
  
Buffy thought for a moment before sighing, "Fine. But we're all coming with you."   
  
  
Riley was about to protest but Buffy called over to Willow, "You can let them up now - we're going   
  
with them."   
  
  
  
Willow gave no indication that she heard her, but a moment later the slow chanting stopped and the 

net was lifted. Two men came struggling out, one of them looking over to Buffy in confusion, then 

over to Dawn. "Riley?" he asked, not understanding.   
  
  
  
"They're coming with us," Riley told him, "All of them. That girl is the one giving off the signals.   
  
She's Buffy's sister."   
  
  
  
Forest raised his eyebrows for a moment before something clicked in his brain, "Sister? But you told   
  
me Buffy didn't have a sister?"   
  
  
  
Riley paused, "I did?"   
  
  
  
"Yeah, this morning."   
  
  
  
Riley shrugged, "I must have forgot." Dawn looked hurt but Riley continued, "Let's move on then -   
  
we've got to get this checked out."   
  
  
  
Spike wasn't too pleased - he wanted to go with them but knew Riley would never allow it. He 

sighed, in the old days he just could have knocked his head against a wall until he agreed, but with 

the chip in his head he was forced to abide by whatever order's the guy gave him. The spell on the 

apartment was still in effect anyways, he couldn't leave no matter how he might want to.   
  
  
  
Dawn looked back at him and smiled, knowing he wanted to come, "It's okay Spike, you and Giles 

can stay here and keep working on whatever you were researching. We'll be alright."   
  
  
  
That's right, Spike remembered, they hadn't had a chance to ask Buffy if she'd felt anything odd 

this morning. He looked over to her, but saw her watching the soldier bloke gathering his team and 

weapons. Spike watched her eyes, looking for any hint of tenderness there..she seemed to know 

the guy after all.   
  


Spike sighed, he didn't like the way that bloke knew Buffy's name...he had been a little too – 

personal - with the Slayer, for what Spike thought.   
  
  
  
Surprising himself, Spike laughed, what, I'm acting jealous now too? Turning into a regularly love-

sick puppy --- wait, he didn't LOVE her, did he???   
  
  
  
Giles watched Buffy, Dawn and that 'guy from school' leave. He wasn't happy about the situation   
  
either, but knew Buffy would protect Dawn until the end of the world. He looked over as Spike 

laughed suddenly and then sobered. Giles sighed and called him over, "Come on - we've got new 

material to research." Spike didn't move but still stood staring at the door.   
  
  
  
"Come on," Giles said, "you can't do anything for them from there."   
  
  
  
Spike growled but went and sat down beside Giles. He even bother to move to pick up a book as 

Giles looked for something on energy. After a moment Spike spoke, "You don't - " he paused, " – 

you don't think anything is really wrong with her, do you?" He sounded almost worried.   
  
  
  
Giles shook his head, "I really don't know. Buffy seemed to know the guy, and we have learnt these   
  
soldier's appear to be very well equipped. The level of technology they inserted into even you're 

own brain --" he paused as Spike growled, "Yes well, all I mean is that they appear to have access 

to rather high levels of technology. If anything were to be wrong with her, I'm sure there would be 

something they could do."  He looked at his front door and grimaced, "They better at least repair 

that before they skip town…."    
  
  
  
Spike still didn't look convinced but he sighed and picked up one of the texts. Giles watched him   
  
curiously for a moment before venturing, "You're being quite protective of her, aren't you?"   
  
  
  
Spike didn't look up, "Who? The bit?"   
  
  
  
Giles didn't shrug, "Her, and Buffy."   
  
  
  
"So?"   
  
  
  
"I was simply curious as to why."   
  
  
  
Spike didn't reply and Giles stared at him. After a moment Giles said, in a perfectly   
  
conversational voice, "You do know that if you ever try to hurt her again I will personally do you 

more harm than any stake possibly could."   
  
  
  
Spike stopped flipping pages and looked up at the Watcher, "I know." He said simply, and found 

himself sighing, "But - I wouldn't. I know that too."   
  
  
  
Giles looked at him silently before going back to flipping through books. Spike thought for another   
  
minute before following suit.


	9. William and George

**Something Green - Part 9**  
  
  
Mark Kingston dragged his weary feet through the door of the small cafe. To tired to   
  
search for his partner, Mark simply shuffled over to the same table they had occupied that  
  
morning. The waitress who approached him was the same as mere hours before, but he doubted  
  
she would recognize him. His face was sunken in and pale, his suit rumpled, his demeanor  
  
diminished. It had been a very busy day.  
  
  
  
It took only a few minutes for George to join him. Mark wasn't sure if he had been there  
  
the entire time or only just arrived, and he frankly didn't care. He had a family to  
  
go home to at the end of the day, and it was only midmorning. What would he tell his wife?  
  
Sorry darling, had to rescue humanity today? I'm too tired to do the dishes, could  
  
you walk the dog? Mark smiled at the image, it might prove amusing.  
  
  
  
His partner looked - if it were possible - even more tired than he was. They both  
  
ordered lunch by simply pointing to the menu and the first words were only spoken after the food  
  
had arrived.   
  
  
  
Mark looked over his beef-and-cheddar burger and finally asked, "So how'd it go?"  
  
  
  
George sighed, "Not bad, I suppose. We've received full permission to act in any way necessary to   
  
ensure the proper course of events. The Witch will not be judged too harshly, the Powers have 

accepted responsibility for the situation - it appears this had always been discussed as a possibility, 

even though the most ancient of texts favored the alternate course of events."  
  
  
  
Mark frowned, "I can't remember ever hearing about the Powers accepting mistakes in ancient   
  
texts before."  
  
  
  
George shook his head, "They hardly ever do. Prophecies which will not aid the proper course of 

events are usually 'accidentally' destroyed. But it is true that the future can never be completely 

seen - at such pivotal points as these, the veils between realities it at its most thin."  
  
  
  
Mark took another bite out of his hamburger, as George continued, "We did not receive permission  
  
to increase the arrival of the Time though," Mark stopped chewing as he continued, "It would upset  
  
the balance even more than it already has - the Time has been set for hundreds of years, we can't 

just---"  
  
  
  
"But then how--" Mark started to choke on his hamburger so he swallowed quickly before 

continuing, "But then how can we possibly ensure the proper timing of events?"  
  
  
  
George shrugged, "I was simply told - and I quote - 'don't worry about it'. It appears that some   
  
individuals who are present now but would not be then will ensure the proper timing without us 

needing to interfere."  
  
  
  
Mark tried to wrap his head around that one, but gave up in a combination of frustration and   
  
exhaustion, "I just don't like temporal physics," he sighed.  
  
  
  
George gave him a tired smile before biting into his Greek salad. "So," he asked, not bothering to  
  
swallow, "How'd the spell go?"  
  
  
  
Marked grinned nervously, "You know - I'm really not as good as those Monks, if we could only have gotten THEM to do it..."  
  
  
  
George shook his head and took another bite of salad, "We went over this - the Monks are firmly   
  
committed to their time-line, they could not be persuaded to alter events." George smiled ironically,  
  
"Apparently, in the alternate time they even wait until the last possible second to transform the Key 

- just to make sure everything happened as was written."  
  
  
  
Mark looked frustrated, "But can't they understand that we have a universe to save here?"  
  
  
  
George looked at him strangely, "It's all in moot-point though, is it not? You have already done the  
  
spell?"  
  
  
  
Mark sighed, "Yeah - I did it. Took everything that I had, but I did." He frowned, "It really could  
  
use a patch up job though, it doesn't feel quite complete. There was so much memory to re-write.." 

he was tired, "but I did the best I could. Momentary lapses might be common, but it doesn't really 

have to last for much longer, does it?"  
  
  
  
George shook his head, "The final count-down has been released. Nine months beginning 

yesterday," he explained, "Slayer's rarely give birth on time."  
  
  
  
Mark looked confused, "Was there ever another one?"  
  
  
  
"No, at least, not one to make it to term. She was carrying a human child though - killed by a 

vampire before she even realized she was pregnant. The calculations had been done though, she 

would have been several days late."  
  
  
  
Mark sighed, "I still can't believe an event such as this has to be rushed, there's still so much to   
  
do---"  
  
  
  
George finished his salad and looked him in the eye, "We've set the major events in motion. The 

Hell God was located earlier this afternoon - she's already taken up residence in the area, and 

according to latest reports, has even sent out a spy to retrieve information on the Key."  
  
  
  
Mark looked worried, "Will she find it? Isn't that too soon?"  
  
  
  
"I really don't know. There are still many events that have to fall into place before the Arrival can  
  
proceed. The Key is not the only piece of the puzzle."  
  
  
  
Mark finished his hamburger and started attacking his fries, he offered some to George who chewed   
  
thoughtfully.   
  
  
  
"Right now our major concern is merely to monitor events. Ensure the Hero and Demon do not get   
  
over-looked."  
  
  
  
Mark signaled for the cheque and offered to pay and George rose from his seat. To any passing 

observer they were simply two business men out for lunch on a rather ruthless day at the office, no 

one would have guessed they were two of the most powerful individuals in the universe. Indications 

on how far up the ladder mere humans could progress.  
  
  
  
As they left the cafe Mark turned to George and asked, "If something were to go wrong, how should 

I proceed?"  
  
  
  
George stopped on the curb and watched the traffic speed by. Presently he said, "Use your own   
  
judgment - do not interfere directly with the individuals, though - the last thing we want is Buffy  
  
understanding the most important steps of her life have already been choreographed. We know how 

Well she takes to prophecies."  
  
  
  
He signaled a cab then, and opened to door to leave. With one leg already in the car, George turned  
  
to Mark and said, "I've received some information on the child though - it will be a boy, and his 

Name will be William."  
  
  
  
Mark found himself sucking in breath, "You mean--?"  
  
  
  
George nodded, "The line of Slayer's shall continue, but they shall not be alone. The next major   
  
phase in our war will be complete - this boy will be the first of many." He stepped in the cab then, 

and was gone.   
  



	10. Energy Spikes

**Something Green - Part 10**  
  
  
Buffy Summers stood protectively behind her younger sister as Professor Walsh escorted them 

around the Initiative. It had been a hard decision - should she stand in front of Dawn and protect 

her from any danger that might approach? But that meant leaving her out of line of sight, and from 

the way Professor Walsh had acted when Riley has introduced Dawn as the 'energy spike' they had 

detected earlier, Buffy wasn't really sure she wanted to do that. Some Initiative freak might just run 

up behind and grab her, so Buffy had opted for the 'rear-guard' position.  
  
  
  
She was still trying to picture Professor Walsh as the leader of the mysterious commando's they had   
  
been seeing around campus - and trying to fit Riley in there too. But the longer they walked here, 

noting the ease with which the Professor and Riley strolled - as if they knew every inch of this 

sterile building, every trigger for each weapon they'd seen - Buffy had come to the chilling 

realization that yet another guy she liked had been lying to her. Angel had lied, not in so many 

words, but the whole "oh by the way, I'm a vampire" might have helped before she had to go 

through the pain of finding out herself.  
  
  
  
And now Riley had lied to her too - only more directly this time. Just a normal student, he'd led her  
  
to believe - forget the kilotons of military equipment hiding under the college. Buffy sighed, she'd 

lied to him too, she hadn't forgotten that, but that just gave her more chance to wonder why she'd 

ever thought her and Riley could work out in the first place. She was the Slayer - he was just a 

normal guy, no matter how many guns he carried. Her earlier take-out of his entire team had 

shown that. She needed someone who could understand what she was going through - no mere 

human could do that.  
  
  
  
Buffy had to restrain a laugh, if it had been last year, she would have been crying for Angel now -   
  
that point in her life was over though. He'd left her. He'd lied to her, she'd killed him, and though   
  
they had tried, he'd left her.   
  
  
  
Dawn shifted in front of her and Buffy suddenly felt a pang of longing for Spike. If he were here, he  
  
could help her protect Dawn. Odd, Buffy had a hard time remembering what Spike had been like to 

Dawn before he'd been chipped, but just by his earlier display of protection that morning, Buffy 

knew that Spike would protect her sister with his entire being. Angel hadn't even done that. He'd 

tolerated Dawn as any boyfriend tolerated a younger sibling. Buffy could never remember feeling 

secure in the knowledge that Angel would protect her.   
  
  
  
With Spike she could.   
  
  
  
Willow was walking next to her, and though Buffy trusted her best friend, magical mojo wasn't   
  
something she liked to depend on. Cold hard fists were the best defense she thought, and Spike 

was a definite possessor of those - she should know, he'd fought with her enough times. It was 

almost a shame he was chipped now, it would have been fun to spar with him some more - they 

were a quite even match.  
  
  
  
Up-a-head Professor Walsh had stopped and was talking into some kind of receiver on the wall. 

With a sharp 'click' a sealed door opened and she ushered them all inside, closing the door behind 

them.  
  
  
  
Buffy walked into the room behind Dawn and stopped in shock - the room was small but contained 

pieces of equipment Buffy couldn't have recognized even if she'd tried. They gave her a vaguely 

uneasy feeling - she much preferred a nice sharp stick of wood to these fancy computer screens. 

Behind her, Riley gave a sharp intake of breath, and Buffy realized he'd never been in this room 

either - if he was comfortable and easy with the weapons she'd seen so far, what were these things 

of front of her that he should be startled too?  
  
  
  
Dawn looked a little fearful at the sheer mass of equipment, but she quickly took a deep breath and   
  
steadied herself. Buffy felt proud, her sister would grow up to be quite the Scooby, and suddenly 

Buffy knew that Spike was right - it was time for her sister to train. Thinking again of Spike, Buffy 

paused, twice in as many minutes? Odd.  
  
  
  
She didn't have time to go into more detail though, Professor Walsh was turning back to the group.  
  
  
  
"Welcome," she said almost warmly, "Two of you I know," she indicated Riley and the other guy 

he'd called Forest, "two of you I recognize," at this she looked at Willow and Buffy, "one of you I 

don't know at all," she looked at Dawn, "but feel I know the most about." She smiled, "Welcome to 

one of the most secret labs in the Initiative. You need not be frightened," she looked to Dawn and 

Buffy, "We are acting in your uttermost best interests. The energy this young one is projecting is 

simply indescrible, and must be understood before we can determine if there is any danger to her." 

She looked back over the group, "I understand, however, that two other people in this room have 

demonstrated abilities beyond that which one would consider normal," a look at Buffy and Willow, "I 

think it would be best to examine you girls first, if you don't mind, for I think you're explanations 

would be much less time consuming then her's." She glanced at Dawn.  
  
  
  
The girls looked uncomfortable, "I thought Dawn was the one in danger here, Professor?" Willow 

spoke politely.   
  
  
  
Professor Walsh raised an eyebrow, "Oh she is - but that does not mean you have not been 

affected. I would like to closely examine your readings as well, to make sure none of the radiation 

has had any harmful effect on any of you."  
  
  
  
She looked over to Riley and Forest, "Agent Finn, would you and Forest please conduct yourselves 

to our decontamination and radiation center - Ms. Rosenburg here will accompany you." Willow 

started to protest, but Professor Walsh spoke over her, "Nonsense Willow, I remember your 

schedule, you have my class in twenty minutes, do you not?" Willow nodded, "Then I suggest you 

accompany the men - it will take much less time then Dawn's --" she looked to Dawn for 

confirmation on the name, "--evaluation will take, and you are more then welcome to return here 

after you're class. I have called in Professor Hammlin to take over  
  
for me, he is - adequate - but I am relying on you for a complete evaluation of his performance."  
  
  
  
Willow glanced back and forth between her professor and best friend, looking torn between them, 

but Buffy nodded her head. "Go on, Will" she said, "We'll be fine here. Call Giles actually, if you can, 

then come back and get us when you're done."  
  
  
  
Willow looked to Dawn, who nodded in confirmation. Willow sighed, "All right, but if anything   
  
happens..." Buffy smiled, "We'll contact you, just keep those extra ears open." Willow smiled, then 

left with Riley and Forest.  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh gestured to Buffy, "Now - if you would like to sit right here, Ms. Summers," she   
  
indicated a chair with a computer screen attached, "We'll just have a look at you."  
  
  
  
Buffy swallowed a knot of fear and reminded herself that she respected this woman as a teacher.   
  
Nodding slowly, and giving a tight squeeze to Dawn's hand, Buffy went and sat in the chair 

indicated by Professor Walsh. A slight tingling sensation passed along her skin as she sat down, and 

her Slayer instincts shouted at her to bolt. Buffy did her best to control them though, and remained 

sitting in the chair.  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh nodded to her and went over to one of the computer screen. She indicated that 

Dawn could come and look if she liked, and pressed a button as the youngest Summers walked 

slowly around the machine.  
  
  
  
  
Buffy felt the tingling sensation intensify as blips and blops could be heard emanating from 

Professor Walsh's computer. Once again fighting down her Slayer instincts to leap up and pulverize 

the computer, Buffy waited while Professor Walsh slowly turned a couple of dials.  
  
  
  
  
"Hmm.." she said slowly, eyes scanning the raw data, "Very interesting." She looked over at Buffy,  
  
"You are the Slayer, I presume?"  
  
  
  
  
Buffy was confused, "When did Riley tell you that?"  
  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh shook her head, "I didn't allow him to tell me anything, I never like to conjure   
  
false data." She pointed to her screen, "You're energy signature is quite compatible with what I had  
  
expected a Slayer's signature to be."  
  
  
  
"You know about the Slayer's?" Dawn asked, wide-eyed.  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh tilted her head, "I did not KNOW about them - I simply extrapolated that such a   
  
being must exist. The demons we deal with here are powerful, and I wondered what could be 

keeping them in 'check', so to speak. Their very select breading habits do not fully explain the 

curious lack of demon activity in this region. I began to wonder if some other force was responsible 

for their demise.  In my research I found certain passages relating to something called "the Slayer" 

and have heard demons mention her as well. It was always with such an aura of mystery, however, 

that I was quite at a loss to determine if such a being truly did exist." She indicated her screen, "In 

some preliminary research I had extrapolated the energy signature and relative combative skills 

such a warrior would need to possess, and it appears my earlier estimates were quite accurate." A 

tiny smile tugged on the side of her mouth, "Quite interesting, I must say, that a being I have for so 

long researched should simply enroll in my psychology class in the disguise of a young lovely 

freshman."  
  
  
  
Buffy blushed, she couldn't help it. Dawn leaned over the Professor's shoulder to point to an extra   
  
energy spike, "What's this one here?".  
  
  
  
Buffy couldn't see, so Professor Walsh swiveled the screen around so it faced them all. Tapping her  
  
finger's on the keys she enlarged the area Dawn was referring too, an extra few blips interspaced 

between her normally radiating energies. Buffy looked at the numbers and frowned, the units didn't 

mean anything to her, but the high numbers did. Was she constantly shooting out that kind of 

energy? Interesting that no one had noticed before now.  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh surveyed the screen, "You're right, Dawn," she said, indicated the same area, "This 

is what I was referring to when I said Buffy's signatures were 'quite' accurate with what I had 

projected for the Slayer, though not entirely so." She looked over at Buffy, "You're energy levels are 

even higher than those I would classify as normal, even for a Slayer." She pointed to the extra blip, 

"and this certainly interests me. It seems to be operating on a different wavelength than you're  

own."  
  
  
  
Buffy frowned, "What do you mean?"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh clarified, "Well every organism, from the smallest insect to most powerful demon, 

emits a specific wavelength of energy. With the right equipment you can detect even the slightest 

variation in that energy, and we've got some pretty good equipment." She pointed to the blip, "This 

probably wouldn't be noticeable had anyone else tried to scan you, I bet the local hostile population 

hasn't even discovered it yet."  
  
  
  
Buffy was concerned, "What do you think it is?"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh looked thoughtful, "Well it is possible you've been infected with something - we 

know the energy signature doesn't quite match you're own, so let's run it through our database." 

She shrugged, "It's possible that something might match."  
  
  
  
A list of demons and 'hostiles' swam over the screen, each energy signature being compared to the 

spike blipping on her screen. List after list scrolled over and Professor Walsh frowned, "Hmm, 

nothing exotic is matching." She looked thoughtful, "Let's try some of the more common demons, I 

would have thought you'd have a special resistance to those," she frowned, "at least that's what my 

primary research supported."  
  
  
  
Buffy nodded, and Dawn agreed, "It's true, when that bug went around last year, Buffy was the 

only one in the whole block who didn't get sick."  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh nodded back, "It makes sense, evolutionarily, a Slayer would be of little use if she   
  
died at the first outbreak of disease, or at the hand of a common demon." The list scrolled on and 

the three women watched, finally a beep-beep was heard as the computer found a match.   
  
  
  
Professor Walsh called up some figures, "Interesting."  
  
  
  
Buffy tried to see between Dawn's head, "What?"  
  
  
  
Dawn was the one who answered, "Vampire? It's a vampire signature?"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh shook her head, "No, its more complicated than that. This," she pointed to the blip,   
  
"is more of a combination of vampire and Slayer. See," she brought up the pure Slayer and pure 

vampire signatures, "This energy appears to take the highest points of the Slayer, and the highest 

peaks of the vampire, and its overall energy signature is much stronger then the individual two."  
  
  
  
Buffy looked confused, "But what does that mean?"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh shrugged, "I truly have no idea. Is there any vampire you've been especially close 

to in the last few days?"  
  
  
  
Buffy thought of Spike, of his cool sensual body pushing against her, then she thought of Dawn, of 

herfriends, of Giles, and shook her head, "No, nothing that I can think of."  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh was at a loss, "Then there is nothing I can suggest. This is an interesting problem   
  
which will require many more tests to determine what exactly it entails." She turned to face Dawn 

now, "Though I think there are other problems which require our more immediate attention."  
  
  
  
  
Dawn paled but Buffy rose easily out of the chair and gestured for Dawn to sit down. "It's okay   
  
Dawn, it doesn't hurt."  
  
  
  
Dawn didn't look too convinced, but she trusted her older sister. As soon as she went to sit in the  
  
chair, however, a loud alarm blared itself from Professor Walsh's computer.  
  
  
  
Dawn shot up, frightened, and the alarm promptly silenced. Professor Walsh pressed a few buttons 

in the machine and then gestured for Dawn to sit down again, "It's alright, the system just had to 

be reset."  Professor Walsh smiled, her calm and cool gaze suddenly infused with mystified light, "It 

couldn't handle this level of activity."  
  
  
  
Dawn cocked her head, feeling no prickling sensation, "What do you mean?"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh adjusted some dials, and turned the screen so it faced them all again, "Well," she   
  
pointed to one energy spike, "This here is the normal signature for an average human being." She 

gave another twist of the dial, bringing up a larger energy spike, "This is you're sister's energy 

signature," another twist, "And this is yours."  
  
  
  
Dawn gasped and Buffy reeled, the spike representing Dawn's energy swirled up past the measuring 

point of the machine and up into oblivion. Where a Buffy's energy had been a stipulating spread of 

lightening energy, Dawn's was a solid flame, a spear of the sun plastered onto a pathetic human 

measuring device.  Buffy gasped and laid a protective hand on Dawn's shoulder, what in the name 

of the Hellmouth was going on?  
  
  
  
  
Buffy looked to Professor Walsh, for the moment ignoring Dawn's flabbergasted expression, 

"Professor, what does it mean?"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh opened her mouth to reply, but at that moment a large chunk of the wall exploded. 

Dust and dirt sailed into the room and the three women went flying backwards into the nearby wall.   
  
  
  
  
A petite blond women walked calmly into the room wearing a silky red dress untouched by the 

flames around her. She looked around the room once and at the sight of Dawn her beautiful face 

swelled into a huge grin and she appeared for a moment like a satisfied beast. With a pleasant 

voice, only tinting on the side of madness, she said "Aw, look at this - you've found my key. How 

nice of you!" she smiled at them all, her gaze loosing none of its innocence.

 "Now you all have to die."


	11. Hell God says WHAT?

**Something Green - Part 11**  
  
  
Dust and debris falling around her feet, the petite blond with curly hair and a bright  
  
red dress smiled sweetly at the three after pronouncing their deaths.  
  
  
  
Buffy was instantly on her feet, scanning the room for additional threats, and when she saw none 

The Slayer almost laughed, "Oh please."  
  
  
  
The blonde's eye's hardened for a moment but then caught sight of Dawn struggling up from the   
  
crushing force that had pinned her against the back wall. The blonde's frown was replaced by a 

glittering smile and she walked seductively over to Dawn, holding out her hand and speaking gently, 

"Come on now, come on my good little Key. Mommy's here to take you home and make 

evvverything all right!" she twilted in a sing-song voice.   
  
  
  
Buffy stepped instantly between this crazy blond and her sister, "She's not going anywhere with 

you."  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh was still on the floor, struggling to lift herself out of the debris, but that didn't   
  
stop her from gazing up at the blond with a cool, professional curiosity, "What did you call her?" she   
  
asked.  
  
  
  
The blond clapped her hands in manic glee, and for a moment Buffy could see Drusilla in her and 

Buffy's flesh cooled. Thinking of Drusilla led her mind instantly to Spike and for a crazy moment she 

wished he were here - the thought was wrong, morally and decisively wrong, but Buffy wished it 

anyways.  
  
  
  
"Why - she's my darling Key!" the blond was saying, "My little little Key that's going to open ALLL 

the doors and let Mommy go home, isn't that right my darlin'?" She cooed to Dawn.  
  
  
  
Dawn tried to back-up but her feet slipped on rubble and she almost fell. Buffy caught her but they   
  
both went down, striking the jagged wall chunks painfully.  
  
  
  
The blonde frowned, "Are you scared of me, my Key?" she pouted, "Oh come on, Mommy's not 

going to do anything bad to you, little girl." she sighed, "I was actually going to wait, you know – 

can you believe it?  Wait a couple more months, just a bit closer to the Big Day but then this 

morning I felt the most delicious tingling and I thought - why wait! And so here I am, and here my 

Key is, and now we'll all go off and have fun together!" She stopped and looked over to Dawn, 

suddenly more excited, "Hey - do you think we can go shopping? There's this great sale on--"   
  
  
  
Professor Walsh was on her feet now, shaky but standing. She shook her head, "I don't understand,   
  
Dawn is the key to what?"  
  
  
  
The blonde turned to her angrily, "Hey! I was talking here!" She walked up to Professor Walsh, 

"Don't you know its rude to interrupt when someone else is talking?!"   
  
  
  
But Professor Walsh shook her head, "I don't understand though, Dawn is the key to what?"   
  
  
  
The blond laughed, "Oh she's not the key - she's The Key! The Key to everything! The Key to that 

silly little dimensional boundary that separates the worlds - heaven from heaven, earth from earth, 

hell from hell." She smiled, "And when the Key fits the Lock - bang!" she brought her hands 

together, "We all get to go home."  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh frowned, "But where is home?"  
  
  
  
Buffy was rising again, painfully pulling Dawn up behind her. The two of them saw Professor Walsh   
  
talking with the lady in the red dress, and Dawn whimpered, "Buffy," she whispered, "Buffy I KNOW 

her."  
  
  
  
Buffy turned around, and whispered fiercely back, "What do you mean you know her?"  
  
  
  
Dawn shook her head, "I don't know where from, and its not even that she looks familiar - she just   
  
feels …" Dawn would have shrugged if it didn't hurt so much, "... she just feels familiar." She looked   
  
scared, "But Buffy, don't underestimate her - she's more than she looks. She's not just some lady, 

she's something much more."  
  
  
  
Buffy looked confused, "But Dawn, how do you know this?"  
  
  
  
Dawn bit her lower lip, "I don't know. Honestly. The more I try and think about it, the faster it  
  
slips away. At first, when she stood there - then I felt like I REALLY knew her, knew her name, her   
  
power, her position, her thoughts and fears and everything! But as time goes on - it's slipping 

away."  
  
  
  
Dawn's voice had started to tremble and Buffy laid a protective hand against her face, "Hey - its   
  
okay. Let's just get out of here in one piece and go ask Giles, he'll know."  
  
  
  
Dawn smiled, "Good plan, but the whole getting away part? Not seeing it."  
  
  
  
Buffy looked over to Professor Walsh who was still talking, "So you originated in another dimension?  
  
A hell dimension to be precise? Fascinating. Would you mind if I took some readings?"  
  
  
  
The blonde looked pleased, "Well I can imagine why you'd be interested - after all, its not every day  
  
a pathetic mortal gets to meet a God, but we can't all have everything we want, now can we?"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh frowned, "A god?" she shook her head, "I'm sorry, I just can't believe that without  
  
proven scientific evidence."  
  
  
  
Buffy turned back to Dawn, "She seems kinda preoccupied right now --" (did she just say God?! 

how can I stop a god?!!) "--but we can't just leave Professor Walsh."  
  
  
  
Dawn looked over to the Professor, but her gaze was drawn to a small blinking light in the upper-

corner above her head. Dawn smiled, "I don't think we're going to."  
  
  
  
Buffy frowned, but at that instant the right-side wall exploded into chunks of brick and steel, joining  
  
its sister-wall in oblivion. Buffy and Dawn reeled back, but Professor Walsh had managed to hold on 

to a bolted piece of equipment - Dawn was right, she had been stalling with the blond and been 

waiting for her soldiers to rush in all this time.  
  
  
  
Sure enough, out of the smoke, came five dozen fully armoured soldiers carrying every kind of 

weapon Buffy had seen on her tour, and then some. With military precision they swarm into the 

room and kept all their firepower locked on the petite blonde in the sexy red dress.  
  
  
  
The blonde for her part had been untouched by the explosion and regarded the guns surrounding 

her as little more than plastic soldier's toys.   
  
  
  
Smiling manically she tilted her head as five dozen scopes lined her up perfectly. "Oh would ya look  
  
at this? Can you do left-right-left-right-left too? I've always loved that."  
  
  
  
Buffy caught sight of Riley touting a heavy-looking shoulder rifle to the right side of the room. She   
  
listened worried as he shouted, "Okay Lady, we've got you surrounded. Put you're hands on your 

head and lye down on the floor. Any sudden movements will be taken as a hostile response."  
  
  
  
The blonde snickered at him and calmly walked over to where he was standing, "I," she said 

sweetly, "am going to rip your lungs out."

Riley hardened at the maniacal glee in her eye and lined her up with his scope, "I'll have to 

take that as a hostile response." 

Suddenly five dozen different kinds of artillery rang, blasted and sprayed out onto the petite blonde, 

pushing her backwards against the no-longer-present far wall.  
  
  
"Hey!" she shouted angrily, "That stung!"  
  
  
  
With two giant steps she was beside the nearest soldier, a flick of her arm and she was past him.   
  
Behind her the solider crumpled and fell, his spine severed. She was beside the next soldier then – 

this one tried valiantly to pump a few more rounds into her before he too crumpled to the floor.   
  
  
  
Shots rang out again, but had even a less effect this time then last. Soldiers began to panic and 

Buffy was on her feet.   
  
  
  
"Dawn," she looked back quickly at her sister, "Run now - don't even try to find Willow, just go."   
  
She looked over at the mayhem, "She might miss you in the crowd."  
  
  
  
Dawn looked scared, "But what are you doing?"  
  
  
  
"I'm going to stop this."  
  
  
  
"But you saw what kind of shots she took! You know your not a match!"  
  
  
  
Buffy's face softened, "I know that, I'm just going to give you time to get away - then I'll come   
  
and find you at Giles's, okay?" Dawn shook her head but a terrified scream rang out as another 

Hapless soldier fell.  
  
  
  
Buffy was already running to that side of the room as she called out, "Hey Bitch! Why don't you

try picking on a lady for once!"  
  
  
  
The blonde turned to her and smiled as she dropped the soldier she was holding over her head into  
  
a pile of bodies, "Don't mind if I do."  
  
  
  
Behind her Dawn watched frightened as her sister charged off into battle.  
  
  
  
Suddenly a hand grabbed her from behind and another clammed over her mouth, cutting off her 

scream.  Dawn tried to resist as she was yanked back through a secret door at the back of the lab, 

but went instantly limp as a needle jammed through her arm.  
  
  
Hidden from Buffy by the number of Initiative Soldiers, Professor Walsh smiled, not even Key's were  
  
resistant to the world's best tranquilizers.


	12. Personal Meetings with the Floor

**Something Green - Part 12**

  
  
Buffy launched herself at the blonde in the red dress, her fist connecting with something solid even   
  
before her feet touched the ground. Looking at her hand, Buffy realized with a certain chagrin that it 

Wasn't the blonde's face she had connected with, but merely her forearm.   
  
  
  
She had blocked the Slayer? Buffy wondered if charging into this fight was such a good idea after   
  
all. A quick look behind her showed Dawn no where in sight, though, so hopefully her sister had 

managed to get up and away and was already running to find Giles.   
  
  
  
A sharp strike to her midsection informed Buffy that not only could this psycho block a Slayer, she   
  
could hit as fast and even HARDER than one too. Buffy felt another hit coming and her Slayer 

reflexes spun her body on its right foot to avoid the blow, while simultaneously striking out with her 

right hand to the collar bone of her opponent.   
  
  
  
Her Slayer senses hadn't quite yet figured out she was fighting a god.  
  
  
  
The blow that should have crippled any normal being, human or vampire alike, didn't even faze this 

one.  Ignoring the strike, the blonde crashed her elbow into Buffy's face, sending her into a very 

personal meeting with the floor.   
  
  
  
Buffy was pulling herself away from that interesting conversation when the blonde's foot connected   
  
decisively with her side and sent her skidding along the tiles. From that position, Buffy felt rather  
  
than saw the remaining soldier's taking advantage of her predicament to hobble away and off to 

safety.   
  
  


She was glad her distraction had worked, but had kinda hoped one of them might have the guts to 

stay and help her out somehow. Didn't look like it though. Somewhere in her mind Buffy wondered 

about Riley, was he dead? Alright? Running away? Another part of her brain realized that she no 

longer truly cared, and Buffy felt comfortable with that. Better to only have herself to worry about in 

this fight.   
  
  
  
Rolling up and off the floor, Buffy managed to connect solidly with a triple-kick and upper-cut 

combo, but again the blonde was hardly fazed. Dizzy from her own attack, Buffy managed to puff 

out, "What the hell are you?"  
  
  
  
The blonde grinned, "Didn't you hear? I'm a God, oh" she backhanded Buffy, sending her into the   
  
dismal remains of what had once been a counter, "and the name's Glory."  
  
  
  
A voice boomed out from behind her and Buffy, hurt and tired and trying desperately to stand up, 

felt a rush of some emotion she could not yet describe.  
  
  
"You'll not be upset if we don't bow, I hope," Spike smiled, "'cause we're not really into that."


	13. Lost Keys

**Something Green - Part 13**  
  
  
  
Spike smiled broadly at the blonde, doing his best to cover the fact that she gave him the utmost   
  
wiggins. Buffy was lying on the floor looking none-too-good for the wear, and Spike - having fought   
  
personally with the Slayer more times than he could count - knew that taking her out wasn't an 

easy job.  
  
  
  
But there was the blonde, the short, petite women in a very sexy red dress and Spike felt a chill  
  
run down his spine. She LOOKED human, she SMELLED human, but she sure as hell didn't fight like 

one.  What in the blazes was going on?  
  
  
  
But Spike didn't have time to worry about that - Buffy was in danger, and for some strange reason 

he cared. He didn't know why, maybe it had something to do with those odd feelings he got 

whenever she laughed, or he made her feel happy. Maybe it was some side effect of the spell Willow 

had mojo'd on them, or maybe Spike just wanted to save her so he could kill her himself when he 

got the blasted chip out of his head. He really didn't know, but he acted on his feelings anyway.  
  
  
  
The blonde who'd called herself 'Glory' spared him a passing glance before moving quickly over to 

Buffy to finish the job. In those moments, Spike ran over to the other wall, did a quick front flip to 

make up the distance, and was suddenly behind the blonde as she moved to strike in at the still 

unprepared Buffy.  
  
  
  
Spike knew he couldn't fight, that damn chip was going to get the Slayer killed, but one thing he 

was really good at was distraction. Out from the corner of his eye, Spike could see Rupert sneaking 

into the tiled room, directing out the last of the wounded or injured soldiers. It didn't look like he'd 

found Dawn yet, but Spike had every confidence in him. All they needed was a few more minutes.  
  
  
  
"You know," Spike spoke up loudly from behind the blonde who was just about to kick Buffy back 

down to the floor, "I just asked you a question - it's rather rude not to answer a direct question, 

don't you think?"  
  
  
  
Glory whipped around to club him in the side of the face, but Spike had already ducked and moved 

quickly to the side. Glory gave a slight hiss and moved toward him, giving Buffy the few seconds 

she needed to get ready.  
  
  
  
Spike danced out of the way of another fist, but was shocked at her speed. He kept talking though,   
  
watching Giles as he started searching the room for Dawn.  
  
  
  
"I mean," he ducked, "its not you were busy --" he stepped sideways, "-- you could have at least 

said 'Hi' --" he danced back, "--or something."  
  
  
  
The blonde sighed as he stepped to the right and narrowly avoided another blow, "It's also rude to   
  
jump around while someone's trying to put you in you're place, wouldn't YOU say?"  
  
  
  
Spike threw his body sideways and did a quick cartwheel to avoid a super-strong looking kick, don't  
  
get hit! he reminded himself as he bounced back up and addressed the blonde, "You know what?

You answer me first and then I might talk back to you."  
  
  
  
The blonde took a moment to glance back at Buffy, and Spike swore to himself. He'd been trying to 

keep her attention off the Slayer, and hopefully draw her over to the other side of the room, giving 

Buffy a chance to connect with Giles and run. He jumped to run in and attack the blonde, but 

actually missed the bitch as she whirled to the side and walked quickly back over to where Buffy 

was barely standing.  
  
  
  
Buffy threw a punch to her face but the blonde impatiently caught and held it there as she stared at   
  
Buffy - "Hey!" Glory asked startled, "what have you done with my Key?"  
  
  
  
Buffy's eyes widened and Spike frowned, the key? What key? Buffy tried to turn her head to look   
  
around but the blonde increased the pressure on her fist and drove the Slayer to her knees. "I 

asked you a question," she said, her voice going suddenly cold, "Where have you taken the girl?"  
  
  
  
Spike felt a thread of fear run through him as he realized the blonde was actually after Dawn and 

NOT Buffy. He'd just walked in to the fight and assumed this was some new threat to the Slayer – 

he and Giles had been back at the apartment pouring over old texts (they'd been ancient when he 

was born) when Willow had called to tell them what happened. She told them how to get to the 

Initiative and shared her suspicions that Professor Walsh had seemed a little too interested in Buffy 

and Dawn for her comfort zone.   
  
  
  
Giles decided he should go try to help and Spike had managed to convince him that he should come 

along too. The area Willow had mentioned seemed familiar, and he bet Giles that he could lead him 

there underground where they hopefully wouldn't attract as much attention. He was also the only 

one of them who'd actually BEEN in the damn place, and might be able to lead them around.  
  
  
  
Of course he hadn't seen much in his short time spent in the compound, but surprisingly the 

Watcher had agreed and did the short incantation that let Spike finally leave his apartment. Spike 

had wondered at the Watcher's leap of faith, and even at his own motives, but had convinced 

himself that he wanted to return to the Initiative in the hopes of removing his chip. Spike had tried 

not to think about the look on Buffy's face when she had - under the influence of the spell - said she 

loved him, or of the way she might react if he actually got the chip removed.   
  
  
  
He'd led Giles through the underground tunnels and for a moment considered leaving the older man   
  
behind, but he knew if he did all chances of laughing with Dawn or seeing Buffy smile at him again 

were effectively gone. Buffy he could almost live with - it was so totally wrong of him to even think 

about the Slayer that way - but Dawn was the selling point. He felt connected to the little imp, she 

was closer to the Scoobies and Buffy way more than he ever was, but she had a way of being stuck 

on the outside just because she was younger, and Spike felt an odd kinship with her. If he could 

help her, he would.  
  
  
  
So he'd led them unerringly through the tunnels and when they'd come upon the flashing lights and  
  
blaring alarms, Spike had grinned at the thought of one of his old cellmates springing loose. The 

large hole in the wall had almost disproven that, but even then he'd naturally assumed that 

whatever being had Buffy curled up on the floor in obvious pain had been going after the Slayer, not 

her kid sister.  
  
  
  
But now he felt a slow chill spread out from his dead heart as he realized it was Dawn, not Buffy,   
  
whose life was really at stake here. No bitch like this would want to take the bit out for hugs and  
  
cookies. Spike looked wildly around the room for the bit, but she was no where in site. Giles was 

staring at the blonde looking confused, but he didn't appear to know where Dawn was either.   
  
  
  
Spike shook his head, Glory was obviously going to kill Buffy if he didn't do something soon - she  
  
didn't look stable that one. Picking up one of the huge chunks of wall lying around him, Spike 

heaved the section at a point near the blonde, using the distraction sound of it landing to run up to 

the tangled pair.  
  
  
  
Buffy had seen his act and when Glory turned her head, she used all her Slayer force to rip her fist  
  
away from the blonde's. Spike saw her wrench free and was instantaneously beside her, grabbing 

her  beaten body and heaving them both towards where Giles standing near the exit.   
  
  
  
Glory watched them run and called out, "Hey! You can't leave now! I can't find my Key!"  
  
  
  
Spike and Buffy had reached Giles, who quickly took the Slayer and started to run. "Wait!" Buffy 

cried, exhausted but determined, "Where's Dawn? We can't just leave her!"  
  
  
  
Giles shook her head, "I don't know, Spike and I never saw her - but we've got to get out of here, 

we can't find Dawn if we're dead."  
  
  
  
Buffy started to protest, but Spike cut her off, "He's right, love. But we don't have to leave the   
  
Initiative, there's plenty of hallways here we could get lost in. Come back for Dawn once Glory 

moves."  
  
  
  
Giles spotted a corridor to their right and ducked into it, with Buffy and Spike right behind him.   
  
"Good idea," he said as he moved, "We just need a few minutes to regroup." He turned back to 

Buffy, "Who WAS that?"  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head and cradled her broken fist, "I don't know. But she called herself Glory and  
  
said she was a God. I don't know if that's true - but she sure as hell fought like one." She looked   
  
angry, "I threw everything I had at her and she didn't even flinch. And here I am bruised and 

bleeding everywhere." She wiped some of the blood off her arm and Spike moved to compress the 

wound.   
  
  
  
Buffy looked at him in confusion and asked, "Hey - how did you two get here? And shouldn't you be  
  
locked up?" she asked Spike.   
  
  
  
Giles took a deep breath and began, "Well, we were at my apartment---"  
  
  
  
---  
  
  
  
  
Glory looked around the broken room, her Key was nowhere in site and that pesky girl had run off 

with that infuriating vampire. She didn't care why he was helping them or even why the girl had

been so strong, she just wanted her Key. Was it so much to ask? A little portal opens here, the 

gateway starts over there, why were things so complicated for some people? She sighed, her Key 

couldn't have gotten far - tear out enough walls and she was sure to find it some time or another.  
  
  
  
Glory started off towards the doorway when a bright spot of colour caught her eye. She stopped 

suddenly and kneeled down to the small red puddle that was dripping off the counter she had 

thrown that woman into.   
  
  


Blood. But this wasn't ordinary, smelly, sticky HUMAN blood - no, this was something much more 

powerful.  Glory lowered one finger into the shimmering substance and raised it to her lips. She felt 

her makeshift spine shudder at the power. So the girl was the Slayer, was she? An odd aftertaste 

caught itself in her throat and she grinned - no, she was more than that. She was the Slayer, but 

she was also _pregnant_. There was another life growing deep inside of her, and that life was 

powerful.  More powerful even then her lost Key.  
  
  
  
Glory smiled and spoke out loud to the empty room, "Oh, this is good."


	14. Tara

**Something Green - Part 14**  
  
  
  
Willow Rosenburg stepped out of her lecture not a quarter-way through. It was the first time she'd  
  
ever left early from lecture, but she couldn't get the feeling that Dawn and Buffy were in danger out 

of her head. She'd called Spike and Giles a few minutes ago and knew the boys were on their way, 

but Willow felt that she should be there too.  
  
  
  
Getting back would be a problem though, the way Riley and - was Forest his name? - had taken her 

seemed to involve lots of complex voice codes, and Willow didn't think she was strong or powerful 

enough yet to crack those. Giles and Spike had said they'd come through the sewers though, so 

maybe she could head that way ---  
  
  
  
Willow turned at a corner and started walking towards the basement. Her path took her across the  
  
student lounge and she hurried through it - then suddenly stopped and, without quite knowing why, 

turned around.  
  
  
  
There, in a oversized arm-chair by the corner was that girl from the Wicca group. She had a book in   
  
her hand, but clearly wasn't reading it, as her head was up and her gaze followed something 

inward. Willow stared at her for a minute. Could she help? Willow wondered. She had seemed to 

sense the same odd presence Willow had earlier that morning. Maybe she really wasn't like the 

other girls in the group. Maybe together they could help Buffy and Dawn...  
  
  
  
  
Willow was still staring at her several seconds later with a small rumbling seemed to shake the   
  
campus. A couple of students cheered, thinking it was merely an earthquake, but Willow threw her   
  
hands against her ears to try and stop the ringing of power that echoed in her mind. A cry of fear 

then ripped through her head and she recognized it to be from Dawn, followed closely by Buffy's 

cold determination. The danger they were in rang through her, and Willow fell to her knees.  
  
  
  
  
Tara felt the surge of power - she had been reading up on her next lecture when a strange buzzing  
  
had seemed to come from a long distance away. She listened as it grew stronger, then suddenly 

erupted into a force of power. Out from the corner of her eye she saw the red-haired girl from their 

Wicca group go down. So she COULD feel it! Tara caught some glimpse of hope in her heart, she 

really hadn't been the only one to feel something that morning when the scream had echoed in her 

mind and she'd fled from the group. For so long she'd been alone in a world of spirits and charms, 

could there really be someone else sensitive to this?  
  
  
  
The girl was on her knees, her hands cradling her head and Tara stood up, unmindful of her book  
  
as it fell to the floor. She rushed over to the red-head and felt the echoes of friends around her. She  
  
quickly voiced a small incantation, and the voices were temporarily blocked. As she did so, Tara felt  
  
the strong, deep power in this woman, and she was delighted.  
  
  
  
Willow blinked as Buffy and Dawn's terror faded. She raised her head to see the pretty blonde   
  
girl from the Wicca group kneeling in front of her. Her voice cracking, Willow asked her, "Did you 

feel it? Do you know what they're against?"  
  
  
  
The girl nodded her head slowly and reached over to take Willow hand. Giving her fingers a squeeze  
  
the normally shy Tara pulled Willow up from the floor and told her solemnly, "We can help them."  
  
  
  
Willow stared at her for a moment before pointing over to where Riley and Forest had led her up 

from the Initiative before. Where there had been a closed, hidden door, a blinking red light was 

flashing and the security system seemed down.   
  
  
  
"Come on," Willow said, "Through there."


	15. Slayer Sense

**Something Green - Part 15  
  
**  
Maggie Walsh dragged the still unconscious Dawn through the back-Initiative hallways. She was 

pretty sure the compound had been deserted by all but non-essential personnel, but one could 

never be too careful.   
  
  
  
The girl was surprisingly heavy though - it took her almost fifteen minutes to reach the   
  
key-card-access-only door, a room only known by its number: 314  
  
  
  
  
----  
  
  
  
Buffy stared at Giles as of he'd turned into a demon or something, "You let him OUT?!! Giles! How  
  
could you be so stupid?!"  
  
  
  
Spike simply crossed his arms and leaned against the wall while Buffy berated her Watcher. For his   
  
part, Giles shrugged, "He made a perfectly good point, Buffy - he's the only one whose actually 

been in this compound before, and he certainly led us to you without error."  
  
  
  
Buffy stabbed a finger in Spike's direction without even bothering to look at him. Okay, Spike   
  
admitted to himself, that hurt.  
  
  
  
"The ONLY reason Spike is here is to get that blasted chip out of his head - once he does that he'll   
  
turn on us." Buffy shook her head, "He can't be trusted."  
  
  
  
"Hey!" Spike jumped to his own defense, "Might want to remember the bit of help I gave you back 

there, love." He thumbed in the direction they'd come, "If it weren't for me you might be Slayer-

sauce by now and how long do you think we have ta wait before the next one showed up?"  
  
  
  
Buffy turned and glowered at him, "Admit it Spike, the only reason you're helping us is to run off,  
  
threaten some doctor and get that chip out." Buffy heard the note of hurt in her voice and quickly 

lowered her head to avoid his gaze, "If you didn't have that, there's no reason you'd be here right 

now."  
  
  
  
Spike saw the pain her eyes and felt a stab of guilt, was she right? He felt a lump in his throat   
  
and was about to bypass it, make up some story that might jab her and hide his feelings, but Spike 

watched her, head down and hurting, and realized that maybe this time it would be better to tell the 

truth.  
  
  
  
He sighed, "I don't know love," he admitted as she raised her head to look at him, "I only know that  
  
I'm here now, with this blasted chip in my brain and yeah - I'd be lying if I said I didn't want it out."  
  
He couldn't meet her eyes then, and turned away, "If I didn't have it - would I be here? Probably 

not."  
  
  


He gave a short laugh, "Why am I helping you? Blasted if I know." A sudden wave of anger over 

swept him and Spike growled, "I shouldn't even be here, I should be out with the evil - leading it, 

laughing with it, doing everything I can to hurt you and hurt those bloody Scoobies you always hang 

out with." His hands clenched into fists, "I shouldn't be doing this - shouldn't be helping you – 

shouldn't be having these feelings..." He met her eyes for a painful moment before quickly looking 

away, "But Dawn's in danger.  She's not a Slayer, and she's not a Scooby. She's just Dawn, you're 

kid sister, and I don't want to see her get hurt."   
  
  
  
Spike unclenched his hands, comfortable now with the truth, "And even if I was un-chipped, I'd still  
  
care about her. I'd still want to protect her." He looked up at Buffy and this time forced himself not  
  
to look away, "I know how much it'd hurt you if somethin' happened to her."  
  
  
  
Buffy stared at him, not in disbelief, not in shock, just stared without expression. Could he be  
  
telling the truth? Did he really care about Dawn? About her? A wave of some emotion swept over 

her, she allowed herself to remember for a moment the feel of his body against hers. If she could 

trust him, if he could help her ... the Slayer stopped her. He's a vampire - you're the Slayer.   
  


Everyone knows how well that worked out before, and hell - he doesn't even have a soul, how could 

he even feel anything?  
  
  
  
Giles cleared his throat loudly and attempted to break the silence.  
  
  
  
"Ahem. Yes, well. There is still the problem of Dawn of course. We can naturally assume that Glory  
  
will keep looking for her, and I believe it would be best if we found her first."  
  
  
  
  
Buffy blinked then, and turned her unreadable gaze from Spike, "She couldn't have gotten very far -   
  
are you sure you didn't pass her when you came in?"  
  
  
  
Spike was the one who answered, he was unnerved about spilling his feelings and didn't know what 

to make of the Slayer's reaction. What had she thought of him? Pitiful? Pathetic? A vampire helping  
  
humans? Caring about them? "We can't be sure," he said, covering his conflicting emotions, "We 

came up by the sewers, if she really did take off, she might have gone the opposite way." He 

frowned, trying to remember the layout of the compound the best he could, "We should still have 

seen her though, if the timing was what you said. I think there's only one main entrance to that 

room, but I can't be sure."  
  
  
  
Buffy sighed, "I don't think she's out of danger, for some reason my Slayer sense is still going wild,  
  
and I think it would have lessened if she'd been safe." Buffy frowned in thought, "At least I THINK 

that's what always happened before - I can't really seem to remember."  
  
  
  
Spike looked to her, "What was the blonde talking about anyways? About Dawn being the Key?"  
  
  
  
Giles looked at him, "The what?"  
  
  
  
Buffy shrugged, "She kept calling Dawn the Key - said she could help her get home, or something. 

I'm not even sure if it meant anything, she seemed a little insane to me."  
  
  
  
Spike nodded, "Oh she was, a century with Dru will teach you to spot insanity when you see it - that   
  
girl was definitely short on the stability department."  
  
  
  
Giles was rubbing the bridge of his nose, "The key, the Key..." he shrugged, "It sounds familiar   
  
for some reason, but I can't quite place the reference. The soldiers who rather tore apart my flat 

this morning seemed awfully interested in her though, so this Glory might be telling the truth."  
  
  
  
Buffy looked at him sternly, "Now see here - my sister is a perfectly normal human being. I can't   
  
explain the energy readings Professor Walsh took this morning, but I can tell you that ----" she   
  
stopped, "Wait - Professor Walsh, what ever happened to her?"  
  
  
  
Spike and Giles shrugged, not knowing who she was talking about. Buffy leaned against the 

opposite wall, "She was there when Glory blasted in, I saw her getting up from a heap of rubble, 

but then the Initiative soldiers started getting slaughtered and I ran over to help..." she paused in 

thought, "and that's about when Dawn and Professor Walsh disappeared." He eyes went cold, "I 

thought she seemed a little too interested in her."  
  
  
  
Giles looked confused, "So you think she took Dawn away? Might she only have been trying to 

protect her?"  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head, "Oh no, you should have seen the glint in her eye when she found I was the 

Slayer and Dawn's energy readings were sky-high above mine. She positively glowed."  
  
  
"What readings?"  
  
  
  
Buffy answered Giles with a shrug, "Oh she just sat us in this chair and played with a computer,   
  
figured out I was the Slayer by the energy I naturally give off." Buffy frowned, "There was this one  
  
glitch though, an extra spike of energy every half second or two," she looked to Giles, "do you think 

my Slayer senses were warning me we were in danger?"  
  
  
  
Giles raised his eyebrows and looked helpless, "I really couldn't say Buffy. You'd have to get   
  
Willow, or someone more - electronic - to look that over. Its possible though."  
  
  
  
Buffy was nodding her head, "Then maybe I can use that to help us find Dawn. If she really is with  
  
Professor Walsh, I doubt she's in good hands." Buffy pouted, "and she was such a good lecturer 

too."  
  
  
  
Spike looked at her doubtful, "I don't know love, can you really feel anything different?"  
  
  
  
Buffy paused, "I don't know, she said slowly. "There is SOMETHING different, but I can't really  
  
quite place what it is." She struggled for the words, "Its like - its like some new power is growing   
  
within me. Like its trying to tell me something." Her hand unconsciously strayed to her abdomen, 

and Giles watched her in confusion.  
  
  
  
"Well," Spike said, hoping off the wall, "Slayer sense is good enough for me, hell knows its found  
  
me more times than once," he caught Buffy grin, "Lets see where it leads us now."   
  
  
  
"Right." Buffy nodded and her hand strayed to her stomach again while she focused, "I think its 

saying to go this way." She pointed to another right-turning corridor.   
  
  
  
"Right," Spike followed, "But if we meet up with Glory on the way, maybe you should just sit back 

and watch while I deal with her, might pick up on a thing or two." Buffy turned to hit him in the arm 

and Spike laughed and winked at her and she laughed back --  
  
  
-- and Giles followed them, watching all the while.


	16. New Friends

**Something Green - Part 16**  
  
  
The girl was starting to wake up. Maggie Walsh was tightening the last restraining belt on her 

forearm and adjusting the head control when her heart rate began to increase. The monitors were 

all hooked up, and with this superior equipment, Maggie Walsh couldn't keep a smile off her face as 

she watch Dawn's energy readings soar up somewhere past the nuclear reactor range.   
  
  
  
Wasn't this perfect? If you wanted to create the ultimate machine, why not power it with the 

ultimate energy source?  
  
  
  
Dawn blinked groggily and tried to sit up on the cold metal bench but was stopped by the numerous  
  
restraints. "What - what's going on?" she asked, dazed and confused as Professor Walsh hit some 

keys on her computer.  
  
  
  
"I'm just running some additional scans," she smiled sweetly, "I'm sorry for the restraints, but   
  
you can't move during this test. Just try to hold still."  
  
  
  
Dawn was still confused, "But what happened with that woman? Where's Buffy?"  
  
  
  
Maggie Walsh didn't even look up at her, but continued playing with the settings of her machine.  
  
"Oh she's just in the next room," she replied distantly, "She dispatched that woman pretty quickly. 

You just go back to sleep now, Buffy'll wake you up when it's over."  
  
  
  
Dawn wasn't convinced, "But why did I fall asleep in the first place?" When Professor Walsh didn't  
  
answer immediately Dawn's voice rose an extra pitch, "You drugged me didn't you? Buffy's not 

there - what have you done with her?!"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh seemed even less interested, she had to fine tune this process just right and for 

some reason the girl's energy readings kept fluctuating wildly. She lifted her eyes to Dawn for a 

moment, more inspecting her bindings then out of any kind of concern, "I didn't do anything to her. 

She's just fine."  
  
  
  
"No she's not! You've done something! You'd better let me up or I'll scream and she'll come and 

kick your ass!!"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh stabbed at her computer then looked up at Dawn, her voice instantly cold, "Go 

ahead and scream - I'll just sedate you again. Besides, these walls are absolutely sound proof, not 

even the Slayer could hear you."  
  
  
  
Dawn felt her blood chill, she looked over to the keyboard the older woman was typing in, "What -  
  
what are you going to do to me?"  
  
  
  
A voice from the darkest corner of the room answered her and Dawn stared at the contraption with   
  
more fear than she'd ever felt from a demon before. Because this thing was more than just one 

demon.   
  
  
"Oh," Adam said, stepping out of the shadows, "Is this a new present, Mommy?"   
  
  
  
_____  
  
  
  
Willow and Tara ran to the blinking light in the college corridor and stared at the wall. "There!"   
  
Willow pointed to a faint seam visible through the wood, "There's a doorway here."  
  
  
  
Tara looked at her confused, "A doorway to what?"  
  
  
  
Willow told her what she knew about the Initiative while she ran her fingers down the faint line,   
  
"It leads to a secret military base where they run experiments on demon---" she stopped and 

looked to Tara who simply nodded and Willow relaxed, "Demons. A couple of friends of mine are 

down there right now, and I think they're in danger."  
  
  
  
Tara looked at her, "Was that the whistling I heard before?"  
  
  
  
Willow looked confused, "I don't know, I didn't hear the whistle - but I did feel the power when  
  
that earthquake shook. I think someone blew something up - and not with conventional weapons."  
  
  
  
Tara nodded as Willow stood up, "I think we might be able to open it, that blast might have knocked 

out some of the connections - can you feel that slight current?"  
  
  
  
Tara allowed her senses to dip in the realm off the unseen, and she slowly nodded, "Yes, it's 

flickering, but there. Do you want to try and break it? Open the door?"  
  
  
  
Willow smiled broadly at her, "Yes! That's exactly what I was thinking!" The two girls smiled, then  
  
Willow looked slightly confused, "But how can we focus.."  
  
  
  
Tara slowly took her hand, "Like this." Willow felt a surge of power as their fingers met. "Now  
  
concentrate." Tara whispered to her, and Willow felt the meaning of her words more than she heard 

them.

Working together, their power flowing over and increasing the other's, the two witches focused on 

the tiny electrons creating current between the doors and gently spun them around in a circle, 

effectively breaking the current. With a small little 'pop' the door crept open.  
  
  
  
Willow grinned at the success of their efforts then struggled to hide her disappointment as Tara let 

go of her hand. Suddenly cold where the other girl's warmth had been, Willow cracked the door 

open and led the way into the darkened corridor beyond.


	17. Till the end of the world

**Something Green - Part 17**  
  
  
  
The sweet taste of power still lingered in her mouth as Glory stood amid the ruined room. Bodies of  
  
soldiers she had, all too easily, killed lay dead or dying around her. The smell of fresh blood mixed 

With the power of the Slayer brought a positively radiant smile to the hell-gods lips.   
  
  
  
Her Key had run away from her - deserted her - while the Slayer fought, but Glory no longer cared.  
  
She didn't need the Key anymore - the Key was a tool of precision, of finesse, to fit in a lock and   
  
release the gates of hell -- and she wasn't talking figuratively.  
  
  
  
But this combination, of Slayer and child, that was pure Power. Using a power-driver to open a can 

of soup. A little excessive maybe, but then she'd never been a girl to avoid excess.   
  
  
  
Glory smiled. Let the Key hide, let her run - it didn't matter anymore. She knew the taste of the   
  
Slayer now, she could track her power from any point on this decrepit little planet and that ability  
  
would only grow stronger as the child matured.   
  
  
  
Their fight had been meaningless - the Slayer actually thought she could hurt a god? - but it had   
  
taken something out of her though. Not much, but she DID feel just the tiniest bit tired...  
  
  
  
"What I need," Glory spoke to the dead in the room, "Is a little pick-me-up." She looked around.   
  
Hmm...dead humans just didn't satisfy her needs well enough to even count. She laughed, if the 

fallen soldiers could hear they would have shivered in fear.  That sound was distinctly less than 

stable, "Well why leave the park to buy an ice-cream cone!" Glory smiled, and thought of 

the pesky woman who'd doubted her claim of God-liness, "When there's perfectly good meat in the 

house."   
  
  
______  
  
  
  
Buffy, huffing and puffing, stopped to rest for a moment at a junction of two identical corridors.  
  
Spike, who was tired but trying not to show it, and Giles, whose puffing could be heard half-way 

across the city, weren't far behind.   
  
  
  
Buffy leaned against the wall for support and Spike felt a tinge of concern, "Are you alright, love?"  
  
he asked, knowing the Slayer was supposed to have better stamina then even him.  
  
  
  
Buffy nodded her head, unable to get the words out at the moment. After a few seconds she caught 

her breath, and replied uneasily, "I don't understand it-" she breathed, "- I shouldn't be tired by 

now, we've only been running for ten minutes!"  
  
  
  
Giles, his hands resting on his screaming legs, managed to reply, "Well its okay --" he stopped to  
  
breathe, "We can rest for a moment."  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head and pointed to the right, "Its this way - the danger's getting stronger, we 

can't wait."  
  
  
  
Spike frowned at her, "Love - if you're tired, maybe there's something wrong." He felt his jaw  
  
lock in anger, "How badly did that bird hurt you?"  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head, "No, it wasn't that bad, she just threw me around a lot," she frowned, "I was  
  
sick this morning though, I threw up actually."  
  
  
  
Spike immediately put his hand against her forehead, checking for a temperature, "Well you don't   
  
seem to have a fever, love," he let his hand rest against her warm skin for an extra moment before 

dropping it back to the ground. "Do you think that Professor Walsh person might have drugged 

you?"  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head, "No, that's not it." She shrugged, "You're right, it's probably just a bug.   
  
My Slayer side should kill it off pretty quickly, it's no reason to stop and lose Dawn."  
  
  
  
Spike couldn't help but agree to that, "Alright," he told her, "But if you don't feel good and we've  
  
got to fight, just tell me where you want one great big hit and I'll take that bitch out before I'm   
  
down for the count."  
  
  
  
He meant it to come out humorous, but Buffy caught the truth in his voice and smiled - she actually  
  
smiled! Spike's dead heart seemed to race - at him and nodded, "Don't worry, I will."  
  
  
  
She pushed herself off the wall and looked at Giles, still breathing hard enough to startle an   
  
elephant. "Spike and I'll run ahead," she told him, "Follow the best you can but don't worry if you   
  
don't keep up - if we need you it'll be later rather than earlier anyways."  
  
  
  
Giles nodded at her logic, it was true - they could hold up a fight with Glory for a few minutes if  
  
they needed too.   
  
  
  
Buffy unconsciously touched her stomach again as she thought, "It'll be this right turn, another  
  
right, a long corridor then a left --" she frowned, "I'm pretty sure."  
  
  
  
Giles repeated it back to her, "Right, right, left, no problem." He frowned for a moment at the  
  
precision of it, "But, Buffy, how can you know that?"  
  
  
  
She shook her head, "I'm not sure. Maybe it's because I know Dawn's in danger. It's like all my   
  
Slayer senses are boosted," she took a deep breath, "But my physical ones are exhausted." She 

smiled at her Watcher, "Don't worry - you just follow the best you can behind us. Spike and I'll get 

Dawn to safety."  
  
  
  
Giles nodded and with a glance at Spike, Buffy took off running towards the right. Spike gave the  
  
Watcher a nod before taking off after her. Giles stood up and groaned, then took a deep breath and 

plunged on after them both.  
  
  
____  
  
  
  
Spike caught up to the Slayer after the next two corners. She had stopped and was waiting for him 

in the long stretch of corridor. Confused he stopped in front of her, and waited while she crossed 

her arms against her chest.  
  
  
  
"Spike," she looked at him, all business, "we're about to head into a very dangerous situation, and I  
  
need to know if I can trust you." She raised a hand to silence his protest. "I remember perfectly 

well everything you said back there, but that was with Giles and now it's just you and me." She 

softened a bit.  "I need to know if what you said was true - about Dawn. I'm going to be busy with 

Glory, maybe with Professor Walsh too and I'm ---" she balked at the words, knowing what they 

revealed. But then a calm spirit flowed over her, and Buffy relaxed and spoke to him the phrase 

that felt so right on her lips, "I'm counting on you - to protect her."  
  
  
  
Spike suddenly found himself feeling a part of something much larger than himself. There was a 

haze in the air, a feeling of timelessness all around them. He heard her words before she spoke 

them, and he knew what his own response must be - "Till the end of the world."   
  
  
  
Silently they stared at each other, each feeling the power in the moment, the heaviness in the air.   
  
Spike grinned and said to lighten the sudden mood, "Even if that happens to be tonight."  
  
  
  
But instead of releasing the tightness in the air his unthought words suddenly seemed to make it   
  
even worse and the world around them was blotted out until a great gong seemed to sound from 

somewhere out beyond the known universe. In that ringing moment it was like a chapter in their life 

had been completed and the page had been turned - and all that would come from this moment on 

would be new and inspiring and they could share it - finally - together.  
  
  
  
Buffy blinked but said nothing and Spike looked at her as even his poet half tried to formulate the  
  
words to describe the sudden brightness and spirit of hope in the air.   
  
  
  
With a slight nod, Buffy formally acknowledged his words and they set off again, side-by-side this 

time, to rescue the other person they each with all their hearts loved.


	18. 314

**Something Green - Part 18**  
  
  
Buffy and Spike rounded the last corridor of the pristine white hallways. A grey door stood before  
  
them, its key-card access disrupted by the electrical chaos that had shook the building when Glory   
  
attacked. The door, simple and plain with only the numbers 314 to distinguish it from the 

Surrounding hallways, betrayed none of the terror housed within.   
  
  
  
But Buffy, with her Slayer-senses growing stronger by the minute, knew beyond a shadow of a 

doubt that her sister lay beyond that door. Together she and Spike paused before its plainness, all 

around them was silence and the two hunters had already unconsciously softened their steps and 

lowered their voices to avoid being discovered in the hall.  
  
  
  
"So I sneak in there, distract or immobilize Professor Walsh, and you run in behind me and grab 

Dawn."  Buffy whispered to him, using hand motions more than words to outline the plan.  
  
  
  
Spike nodded back to her, it seemed simple enough. "We don't know what kinda of gizmos she's 

gonna have in there though, this place is pretty techie, I remember."   
  
  
  
Buffy looked almost irrated, "I know that, you already told me."  
  
  
  
Spike would have blushed if he'd had enough blood too, as it was he hadn't eaten proper since he 

got this bloody chip in his head, "All I'm saying is - be careful."  
  
  
  
Buffy looked at him, perhaps noticing the newfound tenderness in his words and bit off her own  
  
impromdue reply. Instead she said, "I will." A pause. "You too."  
  
  
  
Spike blinked once at her words and then smiled, "I will."  
  
  
  
Buffy nodded, satisfactory-like, then readied herself on the balls of her feet as she lifted her  
  
hand to the door. Pausing just above the metal surface Buffy raised one fist with three fingers 

extended.  Silently she counted off from three: one - two - three!  
  
  
  
____  
  
  
  
Maggie Walsh smiled with almost motherly pride at the contraption that stood before her. Adam was 

the perfect child - a unique blend of artificial, human and demonic influences, culminating together 

in the ultimate blend of lethal force and power. He was almost ready for his final addition, an 

independence motivator which would allow him to think and act entirely on his own - such that he 

could be without contact of the Initiative for weeks or even months and still function with perfect 

self-preservation.   
  
  
  
He would, of course, still answer only to her, she had been very careful to maintain a motherly 

power over him, to assure he would remain within Initiative's pre-set guidelines. She had no fears 

that he would disobey any of her orders, and though she had been warned not to underestimate her 

own creation, Maggie Walsh believed that Adam would protect his mother like the perfect child he 

was.   
  
  
  
Which led her mind again to the child strapped to the small table in front of her. Dawn would be the  
  
perfect addition to her creation. The ultimate energy source for the ultimate machine.  
  
  
  
That was, if she could just get this power-matrix ratio right...  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh had already turned back to her keyboard when Adam's eyes glittered with trillions  
  
of data logs of knowledge, "Is this a new present Mommy?"  
  
  
  
Dawn looked up at him in absolute terror and Maggie Walsh smiled absently as she ran her fingers  
  
over character and key, "Yes, Adam. Her name is Dawn, why don't you introduce yourself while I fix 

this problem in my computer?"  
  
  
  
Adam approached Dawn like a happy kid in a playground, "Hello. My name is Adam - what's yours?"  
  
  
  
Dawn's voice stumbled, "Da - Dawn. What are you?"  
  
  
  
Adam's mouth curved into a slight frown, "I am -" he looked to Professor Walsh working at her 

computer "I am Adam."  
  
  
  
Dawn pursed her lips together, "Yes - but what ARE you?"  
  
  
  
Adam paused, longer this time. He looked with confusion at Professor Walsh, "I am --" he stopped,  
  
looked perturbed. "I don't know." He looked over to his mother, "What am I Mommy?"  
  
  
  
Professor Walsh tapped a couple more keys before smiling in satisfaction. Just right. Ready   
  
now she turned to her favorite creation. Everything was perfect, there was no reason to wait to  
  
install the independent motivator.   
  
  
  
She smiled at Adam, "I have one more piece of hardware to install in you Adam, after that you   
  
will know exactly who you are."  
  
  
  
Adam smiled, "Two gifts?!"  
  
  
  
Maggie Walsh smiled back, "Yes, two gifts. Turn around and I'll give you the first one."  
  
  
  
Adam obediently replied and Maggie reached under her small desk to take the black box she had   
  
kept there. A few output/input lines hung out and back and glancing over the gaping hole in Adam 

lower left cavity, she saw exactly where to install it.   
  
  
  
For a moment she paused. Adam was so dependent on her now. He was childlike, sincere, would 

that change when he received his independence? Maggie Walsh wasn't sure, she'd had many 

children in the Initiative - Riley, Forest, all of them - but they'd been born human, and she'd only 

honed their imperfect abilities.   
  
  
  
Adam was something completely new, and she had only theoretical data to determine how he'd   
  
respond.  
  
  
  
But now it was time to find out. He couldn't operate efficiently without this motivator. Steeling   
  
her motherly concern, Professor Walsh inserted the box and pressed the activation button.  
  
  
  
At that moment the door to the lab burst open and Professor Walsh turned, her hand still on Adam's   
  
back, the activation button pressed.  
  
  
  
Dawn's eyes had been on Adam, who faced her while Professor Walsh was doing something to his 

back, when her the door burst in. She heard Professor Walsh draw a breath, and knew her sister 

was here to save her, but her eyes were still on Adam, on his face, as Professor Walsh pushed the 

button, completing his evolution. 

She was the only one watching, the only one who saw, the only one who screamed in terror.  
  
  
  
She was the only one who saw him smile.


	19. Mothers

**Something Green - Part 19   
  
**  
With a swift show of force Buffy wrenched the lab door open and rushed into the room only to stop 

in shock a moment later. Her mind had been on Dawn, on Professor Walsh, and she hadn't been 

prepared for the monstrosity that awaited her.  
  
  
  
But Buffy Summers had been a Slayer for already four heavy years now, and she wasn't about to let  
  
some new, unknown threat keep her from rescuing her sister.   
  
  
  
The creature had its back to her, she could only see the fused and stitched metal/skins of its back,  
  
and it hadn't appeared to have moved, so Buffy first launched herself at Professor Walsh, her Slayer  
  
speed propelling her across the room, rushing to face the woman who had dared to deceive her.  
  
  
  
Half-way through her sprint the creature twisted violently around and from somewhere Dawn 

screamed.  Buffy could feel Spike behind her moving in, rushing towards the younger Summers 

whose terror gave Buffy another ounce of speed and she was instantly upon Professor Walsh, her 

right fist raised to knock the older woman senseless. You studied my readings, Buffy smirked to 

herself, lets see if you managed to predict how much Slayer strength can hurt!  
  
  
  
But the monstrosity had already turned, his face - horrible - was now visible. Buffy saw a gleeful  
  
smile cross its features as a sharp bone skewer erupted from the creature came running at full force 

towards her.  

Buffy twisted, her fist caught in half-motion, lurching her body forward even as her back muscles 

reacted to pinwheel herself away, away from the deadly device but in the back of her 

mind she knew with deadly certainty that it was too late --- I'm not going to make it...  
  
  
  
... And suddenly Buffy's mind erupted in a moment of clarity - a flash of peace over swept her as   
  
she realized her unending battle, her constant struggled against the forces of this world, was finally 

over.  She would die, and another Slayer would arise and would keep things safe and she could 

finally rest, rest like she had never in the past four years rested before.   
  


  
  
Dawn, she thought, Dawn would miss her. Her mom would too, but they would have each other to   
  
love and care for. Riley -- her thoughts drifted soon over him. His betrayal, her own destiny, she 

knew there was nothing for them, had never been. Angel might be hurt by her death, would he 

wish he had never left? That he had stayed to protect her? No - Buffy no longer wanted his help. He 

would have tried to shield her, to keep her safe, but Buffy knew it wasn't her job to be safe. It was 

her job to kill, to kill and - finally - to be killed.  
  
  
  
A sharp cry rung out from the other side of the small room and Buffy didn't even have to look to  
  
know that it was Spike - raw horror in his voice as he saw with Vampire clarity the deadly bone 

skewer rushing towards her and knew with all the knowledge in his dead heart that he couldn't 

make it in time, that there was no way he could save her...  
  
  
  
Because he DID want to save her, Buffy saw. He didn't want her to die - she could feel his  
  
piercing stare, the everlasting sadness in his gaze as he watched her.  
  
  
  
I can't live without you --- Buffy could hear the words in her head as if he had spoken them  
  
out loud. The feeling pleased her, seemed natural, effortless, and she could feel a depth in his voice 

as a streaming surefire powerful sensation ripped through her being as he emptied himself into her.  
  
  
  
I can't live without you - he was sobbing in her head - Buffy please, don't leave me. I'd rather  
  
watch the sunrise then have you leave me.  
  
  
  
You promised, she reminded him, sending her thoughts back along to meet his, you promised to 

protect her.  
  
  
  
His grief swept over her and she comforted him for it but let it pass. It was her time - this  
  
was right, that she should die protecting her sister. Buffy cast her awareness towards the bone 

skewer that was hurtling towards her -- it seemed somehow paused in time before her and Buffy 

could FEEL its momentum though she could not see its motion. She could feel her own muscles as 

they twisted in wonderful, Slayer-enhanced ways. She could feel her very muscle fibers condensing 

in places, extending in others as her body struggled in the constant act of self-preservation.   
  
  
  
Buffy could witness these things without being disturbed by them. Her heart was open to death, and   
  
she watched, almost amused, extending her awareness out to examine her body in a detail she 

could never had imagined before. Buffy could even SEE the chemical changes in her nerve endings 

as they carried the message of danger to her brain. She knew she was caught in the place between 

seconds, where time had no meaning, and with gleeful abandon she swept her thoughts over her 

own form, realizing the beauty of her human abilities, following the traces of glitter that were Slayer 

power through her veins.  
  
  
  
Slayer power. She could see it, swirling, around her - strengthening her muscles, quickening her   
  
nerves. But there seemed less of it - Buffy would have frowned if she'd been able. She remembered 

her earlier weakness in the corridor - out of breath, hunching, stomach cramping - and she knew 

now this was because she Slayer abilities were incomplete, that something was zapping her 

strength.  
  
  
  
And curious, with all the time in that place between time, Buffy looked into herself to find the  
  
mysterious cause of her illness, of her earlier sickness, her fatigue, her loss of strength ---  
  
  
  
--- and she found it. Following her glittering Slayer powers she ran past their flowing strength  
  
to find a growing mass of pure Slayer energy. No - not pure, her new knowledge of muscle and 

bone, nerve endings and cell division gave her the most exquisite picture of the tiny being growing 

within her womb.  
  
  
  
She should have been scared, she should have been shocked, but in this moment of clarity and 

peace, Buffy felt nothing but an everlasting joy and curiosity about this tiny life form growing within 

her.  Zooming in to look at the child, Buffy could see the speed of its growth. Even in this moment 

between time this child was growing, its cells were dividing, its strength was increasing.   
  
  
  
What kind of being could move that fast? She thought, awed by its power, by its perfection.   
  
Her gaze traveled closer and its tiny face, not near formed, seemed to smile at her presence.   
  
  
  
It was then that Buffy felt emanate from this child the most power sensation that she - as a Slayer -   
  
had ever encountered. It was the hum she knew in her bones, the tingling of her spine as her 

mortal enemy approached - the inch in her palm whenever one of the THEM had been around and 

Buffy knew, in her soul of souls, what kind of child this one was.  
  
  
  
At that moment of another cell division completed and from the still unformed mouth of her child 

slid a perfect and deadly fang.   
  
  
  
And Buffy, right then, didn't want to die. She wanted to live, wanted her child to live -- her child,  
  
and Spike's.  
  
  
  
But then a cry from Professor Walsh echoed itself in Buffy's ears - her real ears, whose abrupt,  
  
purely physical pain pulled her from this wonderful peace and attempted to thrust her back into the 

real world. Buffy resisted, knowing if she went back she - and her child - would die, and she was 

suddenly crying without tears that Spike would never know about his child, would never hold this 

tiny face and form, would never learn of the miracle he had helped create within her...  
  
  
  
But the physical world was not to be denied and Buffy felt her awareness brought back by the 

strength of Professor Walsh's scream. She kept her inner gaze on her child, growing and peaceful 

within its warm rosy world, for as long as she could but then she blinked ---  
  
  
  
--- and saw that the bone skewer somehow changed direction and with startling force thrust itself, 

not into Buffy, its deadly edge perceiving her unprotected child, but upon the body of Professor 

Maggie Walsh, whose open side had been facing the creature she trusted and loved.  
  
  
  
Buffy watched as a spasm of pain crossed her ex-professor's convoluting face and the woman 

turned, uncomphrending, towards her creation, her perfect son.  
  
  
  
"Wh--?" was all she managed to say.  
  
  
  
The creature simply smiled, "Mommy," it grinned affectionately as her lifeless body slumped to the   
  
floor.


	20. Fathers

**Something Green - Part 20**  
  
  
Spike rushed into the room behind Buffy, he felt her stop and stare and fought his own temptation  
  
to do so. Dawn was his first priority. He liked the bit - and he had promised.  
  
  
  
The sight of her had shocked him - needles and wires punctured her skin, and her face was a 

ghastly pale. Ever her heart-beat had been slowed by some tranquilizer whose sent still hung in the 

air. Spike, unable to properly hear her heart beat, had feared for a moment she'd been turned.   
  
  
  
But then she'd screamed - the most blood-curdling scream Spike had heard in decades. It had   
  
disgusted him, her terror and horror, and Spike suddenly thought of Angel, his grandsire/sire who'd   
  
relished all terror and pain.  
  
  
  
Spike had never enjoyed it, not really. Oh sure - there'd been that whole railway-spike-thing, but   
  
that'd been more to create a name for himself. New in the business and wanting to make an 

impression.   Angelus, now he could go on for hours, torturing someone. Spike had rather preferred 

the fighting part.  
  
  
  
Which had always been what drew him to Slayers, he was sure, and was probably more than half   
  
responsible for where he was in his unlife right now. Which was namely to say, trying to save the 

life of the Slayer's younger sister.  
  
  
  
Spike looked up at Dawn's scream, he'd been trying to figure out which wires and needles to pull,  
  
when he saw that -- creature, it wasn't just a demon -- turn to face Buffy with a look of pure joy.  
  
  
  
Then he'd seen the bone skewer. Spike had watched helpless as Buffy - her right fist already in  
  
the air, sailing towards an older woman Spike assumed to be the Professor - twisted violently to 

avoid the skewer, and he knew with deathly clarity that she wasn't going to make it.  
  
  
  
"Noooo!!" he cried, wishing beyond hope that the sound of his voice, of his breaking heart alone  
  
could stop the dreadful motion of that extended weapon. He'd felt a stabbing in his heart then, as if 

it had been him to get hit, as if he'd made it there in time to take it for her. But it hadn't been the   
  
pain of a wound, fatal or not, it'd been the pain of a broken man who knew, in that instant, that he   
  
would give every last moment of his eternal life to save the woman before him.   
  
  
  
To save the woman he loved.  
  
  
  
It flooded through him then, the strange emotion he'd been trying to conceal for the past several 

days, hell, the past several years. Dru had seen it in him, but he'd denied it, said he only wanted to 

hurt the Slayer, to kill her, and that was all.  
  
  
  
Well here she was, in front of him, about to be killed and all he wanted was to rush in front of  
  
her and die in her place.  
  
  
  
  
- I can't live without you -- he knew the truth as his mind spoke it. An odd emotion, one of peace  
  
and contentment, flowed back to him and Spike knew that Buffy had heard him.  
  
  
  
  
He didn't stop to think about the repercussions or reasons of this communication, he simply felt   
  
himself breaking down at her acceptance, even as her body twisted to get away. He could feel it in 

her then, the death-wish all Slayers had, the release Spike had feared to ever see in this Slayer.  
  
  
  
He knew the power of it, this desire for death all Slayers possessed, he could feel it in each of  
  
them he'd killed, the moment they knew that they'd fought the good fight, and saw the possibility of 

a worthy death.  
  
  
  
For they'd all fought him, and lost, though Spike knew each could have won. They'd been pretty   
  
even-matched. Every time he'd fought with Buffy, Spike had been waiting for that same feeling, 

that moment when he knew that she knew they were equals. That moment when she realized there 

could be no disgrace with him. He could kill her, and she could never be blamed.  
  
  
  
  
But the moment had never come. Sure he'd felt her stance change when she realized they were 

more evenly matched then others she'd fought in the past. But she'd never surrendered to the 

longing of death he knew she must have. It had been the thing to draw him to her, in fact. What did 

this woman love so much that she was willing to stay in the world to protect it? If it had been good 

enough for her, Spike had always wondered if it'd be good enough for him.  
  
  
  
And now here she was, giving up, and Spike couldn't take it. Was it because she knew now that he   
  
would protect them? Her friends - Dawn? She'd made him promise, could she have foreseen this? 

Spike, who had promised her death more than once, felt ashamed that he could be the reason for 

her loss of love for life, that passion to remain that had shocked him time and time again.   
  
  
  
He also felt strangely honoured, that not even with Angel had she trusted so, but his grief had  
  
swallowed any such emotions.  
  
  
  
- I can't live without you - he knew she could hear him this time - Buffy, please, don't leave me.  
  
I'd rather watch the sunrise then have you leave me -  
  
  
  
- You promised - she thought back to him, her voice clean and pure and smiling - you promised to  
  
protect her -  
  
  
  
And Spike broke down then and sobbed. He could hear the release in her voice, her happiness, and   
  
though he knew he would never be the same, never be remotely the same without her, he could not 

deny her such happiness. Just had he had not denied those other Slayers, so many years ago.   
  
  
  
But he knew that she was right, he would protect Dawn. He would look after her every day, make  
  
sure she ate her breakfast, get her off to school. He'd even move in if Joyce would let him. Keep an  
  
eye on them, knowing Buffy would never forgive him if he didn't.  
  
  
  
He saw her eyes go slightly blank then, and knew she was reaching inwards, examining her inner  
  
power. He'd seen the same look in the other Slayers eyes, the moment before he'd struck.  
  
  
  
But then Buffy's eyes had widened and she seemed suddenly shocked. Behind him, Spike heard 

Dawn draw in a breath as she saw her sister in danger, and he realized not even a second had 

pasted. The bone skewer was coming down, and Buffy had no time to get away.  
  
  
  
But then suddenly the direction of the skewer had changed, and Spike watched uncomphrending as 

it drove itself into the stomach of the woman Spike assumed was Professor Walsh. Dawn hadn't 

screamed then, she just gave a little gasp of fright, and Spike shifted his gaze towards Buffy, still 

standing, completely unharmed, and his knees suddenly gave out. Crashing forward he caught 

himself on Dawn's table, and took a shaky, physically unneeded, breath.  
  
  
  
She was alive.   
  
  
  
She was alive and though she was still in mortal danger, she was alive. Spike felt the breath of  
  
new life pour into him as a vital piece of his half-remembered soul floated back through the ages to   
  
meet him halfway and sigh. She was alive.  
  
  
  
And he was once again whole.  
  
  
  
  
__________  
  
  
  
  
And across the country, in his tiny office on the floor, Mark Kingston gave a tiny frown from his  
  
seated position.   
  
  
  
"Hmmm..." he said out loud. "This is interesting."


	21. Old Death New Life

**Something Green - Part 21  
**  
  
Adam felt new life surge through his body as the black box was installed into his components.   
  
  
  
Freedom! Adam soared through the new protocols and protections in his artificial veins. He 

witnessed the history of the Initiative, the experiments conducted by Professor Walsh - experiments 

that had culminated with him.  
  
  
  
Him. Adam. The ultimate blend of demonic, human and cybernetic influences. He could feel the  
  
strength in his arms, his body, his mind. He could do anything, go anywhere! Suddenly Adam felt a pang of loss for his brothers, his family, who had died to create him. He felt sorrow as he watched 

Professor Walsh torment his brethren.   
  
  
  
Then he felt anger as watched the designs she had in plan for him. Interesting designs, exquisite  
  
really. Designs for him - and for Riley Finn.  
  
  
  
But they were HER designs, her ideas, and Adam suddenly felt the strangest impulse to do what HE  
  
wanted to do. Not what his mother told him too.  
  
  
  
Yet he could never achieve freedom when she was around, she would stop him -- a frightening 

Thought crossed his mind. She was probably the only one who truly COULD stop him. She knew all 

his weaknesses, Adam looked into his machinery and saw special pass codes designed specifically 

for her, so she could shut him down whenever she wanted.  
  
  
  
He couldn't let such events occur.  
  
  
  
Acting with perfect logic, Adam reached inside himself for his newest weapon. A bone skewer from a   
  
Polgara demon. He enjoyed the feel of it, the deadly accuracy. Twisting the skewer, he turned 

around and plunged it into the stomach of Maggie Walsh.  
  
  
  
She turned to him then and looked confused, "Wh----?" she asked.  
  
  
  
Adam grinned, his face broke out into a truly demonic smile, "Mommy," he said affectionately and   
  
watched as she slumped to the floor.  
  
  
  
The room was silent as Adam looked up, the girl in front of him - Adam knew her slightly from his  
  
mother's data - was staring at him in disbelief as she spun away from him. Adam knew she was 

wondering what his purposes were. He was wondering that himself.  
  
  
  
Adam walked along to the outer wall of the room. He felt a strange air current from there, and 

knew, after so much time spent in this lab, that something was seriously wrong. Placing his palm 

against a special pad, Adam integrated with the Initiative's computer and asked what had disrupted 

security.  
  
  
  
The computer fed him data about the fight in the outer experiment room, and the disastrous state 

the Initiative security protocols were in. Then it showed him the sparse energy readings 

accumulated off the creature that had blown out their entire heavy-artillery, earthquake and nuclear 

protected wall.  
  
  
  
"Interesting." Adam spoke out loud as the entire group turned to face him. "It appears," he told   
  
them, "That my mother has had a very fascinating day."  
  
  
  
Buffy stared at the creature, unsure as to how to react. The newfound knowledge that she was 

alive, alive and pregnant, swirled in her mind. She was still recovering from the shock, and stared 

almost helplessly at the creature. She suddenly didn't want to fight it, knowing the ease with which 

he could destroy her child.   
  
  
  
But he didn't appear to be a threat to them, only he had killed Professor Walsh, which Buffy didn't  
  
understand. Dawn was still tied up on the table, and Spike was trying furiously to get her undone.  
  
  
  
Spike. Buffy watched this man - this vampire - in a brilliant new light. She didn't know how, she  
  
didn't even know close to how, but he was now the father of her child. Perhaps it was the shock of 

the entire experience, or maybe the feeling of peacefulness from earlier still pervaded her system, 

but Buffy felt no shame, no anger at the knowledge. It just seemed right, somehow.  
  
  
  
She'd have to tell him, of course. She had no idea how he'd react, but she had to tell him.  
  
  
  
Assuming they all got out of here alive.  
  
  
  
  
Turning to the creature, Buffy ventured to ask, "What are you?"  
  
  
  
It turned to her and regarded her for a moment with those deep, awful eyes. Cocking its head, the  
  
creature replied, "I'm a kinematically redundant, biomechanical demonoid. Designed by Maggie 

Walsh. She called me Adam and I called her mother."  
  
  
  
Buffy stared at him, but it was Dawn who asked, "Why did you kill her?"  
  
  
  
Adam shifted his attention to Dawn, still tied by wires and tubes to the table.   
  
  
  
"She had certain plans for me, certain designs. I --" he paused, "---I found I no longer desired  
  
heading to her commands."  
  
  
  
Buffy looked at him, "What are you going to do now?"  
  
  
  
Adam appeared thoughtful. "There is a threat to the Initiative. This is where I was created, this  
  
is where I will learn about myself. I do not want this building destroyed." He paused again. "I will  
  
fight."  
  
  
  
  
The click-click of high heel shoes against tile floor echoed from the doorway and everyone turned  
  
at the sound of a deceptively sweet, female voice.  
  
  
  
"Oh goodie - My Key, a vampire, the Slayer and her child, oh and a new toy to play with!" Glory  
  
smiled, "Did I get a pony too?"


	22. Lessons of the Universe

**Something Green - Part 22**  
  
  
Buffy stared horrified as Glory stepped up to the plate. The Slayer and her child?? She thought   
  
wildly, how did she know? Fearful, Buffy looked to Spike, but he hadn't seemed to hear - busy as he 

Was trying to untie Dawn.  
  
  
  
It was Dawn who spoke up next though, with typical teenager pride, "I'm her sister! Not her 

daughter!"  
  
  
  
Buffy almost paled but Spike actually turned and laughed, "There you go! A god told off by a 

teenager, there's a lesson in the workings of the universe!"  
  
  
  
Buffy found herself smiling, and Glory scowled. "I didn't mean HER --" she said but stopped as  
  
Adam approached her with rational steps. "What's this?" she asked amused.  
  
  
  
Adam's voice betrayed no emotion, "I am a kinematically redundant, biomechanical demonoid. I live 

in this institution. You are a threat to this institution. I must terminate you."  
  
  
  
Glory laughed at him, hands on her hips, mouth open and head back. Adam didn't even pause, he 

lifted the still bloody bone skewer and plunged it into the woman's chest.  
  
  
  
Of course, she was no ordinary woman. Adam looked confused as Glory continued laughing, odd, 

since he had aimed directly for the human heart.  
  
  
  
Shifting tactics, Adam swung a demonoid/mechanical arm directly at Glory's head, pushing her off 

his skewer and into the wall.  
  
  
  
Glory caught herself and shrieked, "Hey!! You can't just go around hitting people! What is it with  
  
people and manners these days!"   
  
  
  
Adam looked confused as the woman walked up to him and shoved a hand into his belly, pulling out 

a wade-full of circuits, all the while explaining, "I mean really, in my day - " she threw away the 

handful and reached for another, " - we kept the local populations in line! No obnoxious brats or 

toys or people -"  Adam, looking shocked from his lack of wires, tried to parry her hand, but Glory 

just raised her fist and smoked him in the side of the head, "- we taught them respect." Adam 

looked staggered, and Glory hit him again, "Respect and consideration -" Adam almost went down 

but caught his balance. He tried to swing again at Glory but she ducked effortlessly and punched 

him into the wall, sending pieces floating down, "for their elders." She walked up to him and kicked 

the demonoid in the chest, frying some circuitry there. "Course it helps when one's elders are gods, 

but its the concept that's important."  
  
  
  
Buffy stared at the mass of circuitry that had effortlessly struck down Professor Walsh and looked   
  
back to Spike. His eyes were wide but he nodded at her, confirming his promise, and hurried to help 

Dawn get up off the table and gently to the floor. Buffy eyed the door, around and to the left of 

where Glory now stood, and signaled that Spike should take Dawn there while she distracted Glory.  
  
  
  
Buffy's stomach crunched and she thought of the danger - a consideration she had never truly 

wondered about before. She realized now, after her recent experience, that she'd always held a sort 

of death-wish, a joy about heading off into battle, the knowledge that she might not come out alive 

somehow unfazing her.  Now however, knowing her life meant not only her own, but her child's as 

well, caught something inside of her and made her suddenly fearful.   
  
  
  
Spike seemed to notice her hesitation, and he touched her elbow gently while Glory pummeled 

Adam in the corner. Buffy turned back to him, Dawn resting in his arms bruised and exhausted, and 

she smiled at his concern. He was so sweet to her, had it always been this way, and she had just 

never noticed? Or had something changed between them, back there in the corridor.   
  
  
  
Or had it changed earlier than that? When Willow's spell took hold of them and they fell, so easily,  
  
in love. And the love had lead to passion, and that had led them here.  
  
  
  
Buffy cast her thoughts to her belly, feeling now the Slayer and Vampire energies swirling there. 

She wondered if Spike could feel it. She hadn't been able too, until she was looking for it. Could he 

Sense nearby vampire energy? He always seemed to sense her's...Buffy wondered.  
  
  
  
But now, again, this wasn't the place or time. Buffy smiled to reassure him and touched Dawn 

lightly on the cheek. Just get her out - Buffy thought to him - keep her safe.  
  
  
  
The momentary connection between them hadn't seemed to have totally left for she could feel that  
  
Spike had understood her message, and she received a hazy acknowledgement back. He looked at 

her, fear for her safety undisguised in his eyes, and then carefully took Dawn in his arms and 

moved carefully towards the door of the room.  
  
  
  
Glory had just finished pulverizing Adam and turned back to the group, "Now - about what I was --- 

Hey!" she yelled, catching Dawn and Spike heading out the door, "I wasn't done with you yet!" She 

eyed Buffy angrily as the Slayer ran to the door and shielded Spike and Dawn from view as they 

escaped down one of the numerous passages. "Forget them Glory," she tried to sound confident, 

"You'll never find them. Guessyou'll just have to deal with me."  
  
  
  
Glory looked at her happily, "Oh but you're all I wanted!" Buffy felt her heart sink as the god's face  
  
broke out into a grin, "You're what's going to send me home."


	23. Imperfection

**Something Green - Part 23**  
  
  
Buffy Summers ran through the identical passageways of the Initiative, heart pounding, hand   
  
unconsciously resting on her stomach. Glory was right behind her, chasing her through the maze   
  
like some twisted game of hide-and-seek.   
  
  
  
Laughter sounded behind her and Buffy didn't even stop to turn around. Instead she simply 

switched directions and went flying down an opposite corridor. The sounds behind her faded slightly 

and she switched tracks again to further throw off her trail.  
  
  
  
Buffy slowed slightly to catch her breath. This isn't right, she thought, I shouldn't be this tired.  
  
But though her physical abilities continued to be diminished, her Slayer senses were throwing her 

vibes even faster than they had that morning. Another sense was growing in her mind as well, a 

hazy outline that seemed somehow familiar. Buffy didn't have time to wonder at it now - new 

oxygen in her veins, she once again set off down the sterile white hallways of the Initiative, alarms 

at various corners blinking a distinctive flashing red.  
  
  
____  
  
  
  
Adam hurt.   
  
  
It was more than a physical sensation. He'd been raised by his mother to be the best, she had 

called him perfect and he was supposed to be. But this woman had trounced him, thrown off his 

every blow and had reached so low as to actually try and disassemble him from the inside.   
  
  
  
She hadn't grabbed any vital circuits, but she had proven her startling abilities. What kind of   
  
creature could have done such a thing to him?  
  
  
  
She HAD called herself a god, but Adam had been programmed by Maggie Walsh, scientist and 

lecturer, who might have believed in Slayers and demons, but never in gods.   
  
  
  
But whatever that woman had been, she had definitely been more powerful than him. Adam closed 

his eyes as his internal programming ran over his every move in the fight. It didn't make any sense. 

His mother could not have failed with him. He had to be perfect.  
  
  
  
He extended his memory search farther back then, to wonder if maybe his mother had mentioned 

Something about him not being the ultimate before she died. Before he killed her. The thought gave 

him no guilt, his actions had been rational, logical.  
  
  
  
His circuitry found a recent scene of memory and Adam's fine-tuned programming ran it over and '

over through his engrams. His mother had given him a power source, it was powerful, but she had 

found another.  Something different that he could use, something that would make him truly ready 

to face the world, to protect him domain....something that would make him perfect.  
  
  
  
Adam understood now. His mother had not failed, she simply had not finished. Adam then regretted 

his actions for a moment, if she'd been alive, she could have completed him. He re-ran his memory   
  
engrams - it was all there, her last addition to his hardware. The techniques she would have used to  
  
connect the girl to him. On onlooker might have said he looked thoughtful as his mechanical/demon 

brain ran over the procedure with incurable logic. It could be done, the instructions had been 

written in the third person, for a scientist such as his mother to perform. But the instructions could 

be changed slightly to allow him access to his innermost compartments. The transfer was actually 

quite simple. It could be done.  
  
  
  
Adam smiled then as he reached up and helped his slightly damaged body off the floor. The right 

side of his face was slightly dented and three of the fingers on his left hand were useless, their 

wires removed from his central operating system. Vision to the immediate right of his face was 

blurry and his steps were stiffer than usual, but he was Adam - the culmination of scientific curiosity 

and evolution. He would adapt to his new situation and find the absolute power source for his 

biomechanical matrix. Then he would seek out the one who was a threat to him and finally 

implement the plans Maggie Walsh had left for him.   
  
  
  
Smiling, Adam gathered what materials he would need and set off into the maze of corridors he   
  
alone knew perfectly - their every junction point a stable source in his memory. Off to his left the  
  
walls carried vibrations of two limping beings, one half carrying the other through the confusing 

tiled hallways.  
  
  
  
Still smiling, Adam set off to capture his prey.


	24. Sisters and Keys

**Something Green - Part 24**  
  
  
  
Dawn could hardly walk.   
  
  
Whatever drug that bloody professor had slipped to her was setting in again and she stumbled 

behind him, dragging her feet. Spike resisted the urge to just pick her up and run - he had to get 

his bearings first, make sure they were heading in the right direction. He could run as far and fast 

as he liked, but if it didn't get them clear then he was no bloody help to Buffy at all.  
  
  
  
Buffy. She was behind him, somewhere. Spike's vamp hearing had caught her running off after 

they'd left, the cold smell of fear running off of her. Spike had almost gone back at that, knowing 

something had scared her good, but he had Dawn to worry about, and knew almost better than 

anybody the kind of fight the Slayer could put up.  
  
  
  
The Slayer. It was interesting, but for a moment back there, he'd almost felt like there were two   
  
of them, like another had somehow been called and was about to jump in a save their asses.   
  
  
  
But no one had come, so it'd obviously been a false alarm. Strange though. Not like it was a really  
  
good thing for another Slayer to show up anyhow, might just dust him first and ask questions later.  
  
  
  
Dawn stirred again beside him while Spike tried to decide which way to go. He'd lead them to a 

cross-roads and faced a right and left choice. Spike closed his eyes and spread out his vampire 

sense of instinctual direction. He felt a pull to the right, a whisper of danger and darkness that 

appealed to his nature. Instead he chose left, gathering Dawn into his arms as he did so. It was 

odd, using his directional sense in an opposite way like this, but so far it had worked. His vamp side 

was screaming that he was going the wrong way, but Spike ignored it. It was becoming easier and 

easier to do, though he still had to clench his teeth against it.  
  
  
  
Dawn stirred again in his arms and tried to break free. Spike went to put her down but the young  
  
teenager suddenly opened her eyes and starred at him with a blank, glazy expression. "Buffy, it's  
  
started."  
  
  
  
Spike looked at her, confused. "What's started, bit?"  
  
  
  
Her unseeing gaze looked past him, "I have to jump. The energy..." her voice trailed off and Spike  
  
thought she slept again. But as soon as he started moving, her eyes flew open and she was crying 

softly, "I know." her voice sounded strong through the tears and Spike stared at her, "I have to 

stop it..."  
  
  
  
  
Okay. This was freaky. Dru had done this too him, but she was insane that this was just Dawny.  
  
"Hey, Dawn!" Spike shook her gently, "Dawn, wake up. It's me - Spike."  
  
  
  
Dawn was mumbling now, "Mom...oh mommy mommy mom...." Spike shook her again and finally 

her gaze seemed to clear and she blinked at him, "Spike?"  
  
  
  
A loud, unnecessary breath escaped his body and he tried to whisper, "Yeah, Spike. Come on – 

we've got to keep moving."  
  
  
  
Dawn didn't seem to understand where they were and she just stared at him, seemingly  
  
uncomphrending. "Spike?" she said again, as if trying out the name. She thought long and hard, 

"You - you tried to kill Buffy. On Saturday."  
  
  
  
Spike was about to protest, knowing he'd been chipped since last Saturday - but the look in her 

eyes gave him a chill and he knew suddenly which Saturday she meant. "Yeah, bit," he tried to grin 

but failed, "but that was a long time ago, two years in fact."  
  
  
  
Dawn was still staring at him, "And you came back - later. When Angel.." she struggled and Spike   
  
suddenly felt a wave of guilt without quite knowing why, "Shhhh," he tried to calm her.  
  
  
  
"You came back to help us," she continued, "I --" her face scrunched, "I was sitting on the stairs,  
  
you and Buffy came in. Mom found out Buffy was the Slayer..." her voice trailed off, "Or was I on 

the couch? Or, or in my room?" Dawn couldn't seem to remember and Spike tried to brush away the 

tears that spilled from her eyes.   
  
  
  
"Hey," he padded her head awkwardly, suddenly resisting an urge to gather her in a hug. He'd 

never hugged someone like a friend before. Not even before he was turned. What did he know 

about hugs? Instead he said, "It's going to be okay, bit."  
  
  
  
Dawn shook her head, looking scared, "No - no Spike it's not. It's not okay." She took a deep   
  
breath, "Spike, that time when you came over to my house. When you and Buffy came through the 

door, with my mom," she paused like it pained her, "Spike where was I when you came in?"  
  
  
  
Spike looked impatient, "Bit, we've got to keep going. We can't stop, this can wait---"  
  
  
  
"No!" her sharp voice but him off and Dawn looked at him with the utmost seriousness. "No, Spike.  
  
This can't wait." He looked at her, "Where was I when you three came home?"  
  
  
  
Spike thought for a moment, "I can't remember."  
  
  
  
Dawn exhaled sharply, "Think Spike, please. This is very important. Do you have any idea if I was  
  
in the room at the time?"  
  
  
  
Spike crunched up his forehead, a bit of his demon gaze showing, before shaking his head, "No, I 

don't think you were even there, Dawn." Her name, a sign he had taken her seriously. "Maybe you 

were upstairs?  Or visiting your dad?"  
  
  
  
  
Dawn shook her head and couldn't resist a short laugh at the thought, "My Dad! I wonder if he'd 

even remember me..."  
  
  
  
Spike looked ashamed, "Well, of course he'd remember you. You and Buffy, you're his two girls..."  
  
  
  
Dawn shook her head to cut him off. "No Spike, my dad didn't have two girls. He had one." Her tone  
  
grew sad though her gaze never changed, "Just one."  
  
  
  
Spike felt confused, "You mean, you were adopted? Dawn I don't think---"  
  
  
  
"No!" she was angry now, the force of her reality overwhelming her, "No Spike! Don't you see? 

Don't you know why Professor Walsh was all impressed with me? Don't you know why my charts are 

off the scale? Why I'm remembering things that haven't truly happened..." her voice grew soft. "I'm 

new Spike. Brand new. Born yesterday perhaps, today maybe." Spike looked at her, completely 

lost. She turned to him, filled with the knowledge now, able to remember everything. "She was 

right, Spike. I'm the Key. I'm not a human, or at least, I wasn't, before today."  
  
  
  
She blew air out her lips and suddenly gathered her favorite vampire into a huge comforting hug.   
  
Spike held her awkwardly before relaxing at the sensation of being liked, of being a friend. Even if 

he didn't know what the hell was going on.   
  
  
  
They heard footsteps then, running footsteps from the right. Spike tensed, but Dawn put her hand  
  
on his shoulder and whispered, "It's okay," and for some reason at the sound of her voice filled with  
  
tears he stopped and stayed, arms around her in a comforting embrace as the kid who could've 

been his sister cried softly into his shirt.  
  
  
  
"Spike!" Giles's voice, mingled with the collective shouts of surprise from Willow and another,  
  
unfamiliar, voice, sounded in his vampire ears.  
  
  
  
Dawn relaxed then, whipped her tears against his shoulder and stood. Spike felt slightly   
  
embarrassed to be found with Dawn crying on his shoulder, but her gesture of trust had touched 

him and he shrugged off such prideful emotions. What should he care if someone found him 

enjoying a hug? Vamp's were allowed to be mushy. Giles was looking at him strangely and Spike 

was about to explain what had happened when Dawn, from beside him, spoke first.  
  
  
  
Her voice was ancient and wise, and even Giles straightened at her tone, "Welcome, warriors. You 

have arrived in time, the battle is not yet lost."  
  
  
  
Giles looked confused, Willow could hear the undercurrent of power in her voice and looking to Tara,  
  
knew that she did too. Spike felt a blast of light and in his mind watched the sunrise for the first 

time in over two hundred years.  
  
  
  
Dawn blinked at the sound of her own voice, and the air of age and wisdom passed her. Willow 

could still feel the presence of it inside her, but when she spoke next she was all their little Dawny, 

"It's Buffy guys, she's in danger. We've got to go back and help her."  
  
  
  
Spike turned to her, his voice hinting at the confusion he obviously felt at her mix of recent  
  
behaviour, "But bit, it's you Glory's after."  
  
  
  
Dawn shook her head, "No, it WAS, but now she ---"  
  
  
  
Her voice was cut off but the deep clump-clump of footsteps to their right. Turning, they saw  
  
Adam, the sterile white walls of the Initiative somehow making him even more frightening.  
  
  
  
"She was, but I have found you first." The demonoid spoke in measured, calculated tones, "You 

have no choice - join with me and together we shall raise an army stronger than humans and 

demons alike. We will rid this world of that woman, and rule as Mother showed me how."   
  
  
  
Dawn shook her head, calm and in control, "No, we don't need you to defeat her."  
  
  
  
Adam cocked his head, "But I need you. You are the ultimate power source for the ultimate being.   
  
We must join together."  
  
  
  
Again Dawn shook her head, "No. I will not let myself be used by you."  
  
  
  
Adam seemed to think, "All right then," and in two large steps he was suddenly in front of Spike, his   
  
right hand twisted the vampire into an effective head-lock beneath his metallic, immovable arm. 

Above his heart Adam's left hand held a broke shaft of wood, its tip piercing the topmost layer of 

Spike's flesh.   
  
  
  
"Join me, else the vampire dies."


	25. One, is the loneliest number

**Something Green - Part 25**  
  
  
Buffy ran through the corridors of the Initiative, her heart beat was starting to even out and she   
  
was sure whether this was a sign that her Slayer powers were returning to normal or that her body 

Had reached its second wind.   
  
  
  
Glory was behind her again - the god had been lying in wait in one of the side passages as Buffy ran  
  
by. She'd raked out her arm and tried to grab her, but Buffy's super-Slayer senses had detected the 

strike and ducked and rolled to avoid it. Glory had cried out in fury then and set off behind her, 

pushing Buffy up and past her limits.  
  
  
  
That was about when her heart had started to even out, its beats becoming regular, her blood flow  
  
pulsing in even courses throughout her body. Her mind started to flow with her heartbeat, breaths 

reaching deep, her purpose single-minded.   
  
  
  
So concentrated was she on the sprint, Buffy came to realize that she could no longer feel the tiny,   
  
newly formed presence in her womb. The miraculous child growing there.  
  
  
  
The realization had given her a moment of fear and jogged her from that effortless state of just 

being.  But after she'd gotten a bit ahead of the god - high heel shoes being not the best jogging 

companions - Buffy had laid a hand against her abdomen and sighed in relief as her fingers felt the 

low hum of power there. The sensation was an odd one, vampire and slayer energies mixing in 

tumbling images in her mind.   
  
  
  
But she hadn't had long - Glory was soon behind her again and Buffy had groaned as she shifted 

her weight and took off again down the hall. This couldn't go on much longer, she had to find some 

place to stand and fight. She was reluctant to put herself in too much danger though, afraid for the 

child so helpless inside her.  
  
  
  
She'd also had no such location to choose from. Every room she'd come across was either locked or  
  
empty. It appears the Initiative security system had fixed itself up a notch, the red blinking lights   
  
were more abundant now, and some walls were humming with the flow of electricity. Buffy couldn't 

help but wonder what exactly Glory had punched through to come after them in the outer room – 

she sure had screwed with the entire system.  
  


  
  
Buffy passed another door on her right and slowed momentarily to check it out - no go, it was just   
  
a rest area, a few sofa chairs and a coffee table. A large loaf of bread and a matching knife lay on 

The table, and Buffy wondered for a moment if she could make any use of that. Then she 

remembered Adam's little bone skewer trick, and how effective that had been against the god. 

Hearing the devil behind her, Buffy took off again down the hall.  
  
  
  
  
----  
  
  
  
Glory heard the Slayer pause ahead of her. These shoes were really starting to annoy her, every 

time she caught up to the girl one of the heels would break. These were Europe's top design too! 

She wondered if she'd have time to buy another pair before she opened the doorway home. There 

was something to be said about arriving in style.  
  
  
  
She'd tossed the pair away, though not without a thread of regret, and taken off after the Slayer 

once more. Soon after she'd heard her pause, and increased her speed to catch up to her. She 

passed the same doorway Buffy had and her falling gaze caught the sharp glint of reflected 

fluorescent light from the light fixtures overhead. Glory's bad temper about the shoes promptly 

faded. She walked in the tiny room and took the large bread knife from its resting place on the 

table.   
  
  
  
Knives might not do much against a God, but they can sure do a hell of a lot against a human.  
  
  
  
_______  
  
  
  
  
Rupert Giles struggled to keep up with his Slayer but when it came down to it he was only a mere   
  
human and quite unable to keep speeds with a person chosen especially to fight the undead.  
  
  
  
Quite exhausted, Giles stopped to rest at the junction of particular hallway, trying to remember  
  
which way Buffy had told him to go. It was then that he heard the clang-clang of metal-on-metal 

and turned, fists up for he had no other weapon with which to use, ready for a fight which, in his 

condition, would probably be his last.  
  
  
  
Lucky for him it was Willow who her popped her head out of the apparent air duct and climbed out 

of the wall rather nosily, smiling at her mentor with what embarrassment she could. Out from 

behind her crawled another, very pretty, young lady.  
  
  
  
Willow looked happy to see him and before Giles could ask how they'd found him, asked if Dawn 

was okay.   
  
  
  
He was forced to admit that he didn't actually know, and quick explained about Glory, her truly god-  
  
like abilities, and the sudden disappearance of Dawn. Willow looked concerned, but remembered to 

introduce him to the girl at her side. Tara, was her name, and though she seemed quite shy, Giles 

noted that she was handling the situation rather well. He was about to ask Willow, in indirect terms, 

why she had brought the girl along, when she explained.  
  
  
  
"Tara's in my Wiccan group, only she actually knows some magic, unlike the rest of those blessed-  
  
wannabes. We both felt something really powerful and thought we'd lend a hand."   
  
  
  
Tara spoke up beside her, "It must ha-have been Glory. Maybe we could do a locator spell to find  
  
Dawn?"  
  
  
  
Willow brightened, "That's a great idea!" she turned to Giles, "Don't you think that's a great idea?"  
  
  
  
Giles smiled at their enthusiasm and personally thought this Glory person might have some kind of   
  
shield against such magics, but remembered that Dawn was apparently with Professor Walsh. 

Nodding to the girls he concurred, "You're right, it might. But don't you need some supplies?"  
  
  
  
Willow and Tara shook their heads, looking strangely aglow, "Nope!" Willow bubbled, "Together its  
  
like --" she paused and blushed and Tara continued for her, "--its l-like we're so much stronger. We 

don't need the reinforcement of herbs."   
  
  
  
Giles nodded then again, "Okay. But do it quickly, she might be in danger."  
  
  
  
The girls nodded, closed their eyes and almost instinctively reached for the other's hand.   
  
Together, they began to chant.


	26. Won't Hurt a Bit

**Something Green - Part 26  
**  
  
Giles watched, mystified, as Tara and Willow began to create a map of the Initiative with nothing  
  
more than light and air, using the awesome power of their linked minds. Together they chanted, 

Their voices bridging the gap between the seen and unseen. Giles was no stranger to magic, but he 

could see the power these two effortlessly wove with together. When the spell was finished a mini-

replicate of the building stood in the air before them, a blinking red light in one portion and stable 

green dot in another.  
  
  
  
Almost reluctantly the girls disentangled hands - but kept their fingers touching, Giles noted - and  
  
stood in awe of the creation they had wrought.  
  
  
  
Willow spoke in a whispered voice, "Have you ever seen anything else like it?"  
  
  
  
Tara shook her head and replied in the same tone, "Never - th-that spell's never gone quite like  
  
that before."  
  
  
  
Willow sounded excited, "I know! But it was like it was so easy---"  
  
  
  
"---whenever I got stuck you were there to point the way ---"  
  
  
  
"---but you were the one who suggested using the air harden technique--"  
  
  
  
Giles was forced to clear his throat. Blushing the two girls looked to him, "It really is wonderful,  
  
excellent quality and I must also confess I have never seen that particular spell worked to such a 

degree - but what's important now is finding Dawn and rescuing her." He pointed to the replica, "Is 

she that stable dot or the blinking one."  
  
  
  
  
Willow actually blushed, "Um, we're not actually sure." She brightened, "But we can test it!"   
  
Walking quickly across the hall she stepped several feet to the right, then the left. The entire mirage   
  
seemed to shiver at her movement, and hovered on the brink of collapse.   
  
  
  
  
"Willow no!" Tara cried and ran towards her, "Stop moving, quickly!" Giles stood in his place,  
  
staring at the image as it instantly coalesced and stabilized. "Hmmm.." he murmured to himself.  
  
  
  
  
"Its faulty," Willow sighed, her hand somehow finding Tara's own, "We'll have to memorize the way  
  
and leave it here."  
  
  
  
  
Giles shook his head, "I don't think so. This is quite interesting, but would you two girls please   
  
walk back over here - together."  
  
  
  
  
Looking confused Tara and Willow walked over to him, "What is it Giles?" Willow asked.  
  
  
  
  
Giles pointed to the image - a line of brilliant red indicated the path they had taken from one end  
  
of the hallway to the other and the image rotated on its axis to show them a better view of their   
  
destination.  
  
  
  
  
"I don't think its faulty, in fact I think you've created something spectacular." He pointed to the  
  
construct, "I know this spell, its designed to use the energy of the person who created to maintain 

form and structure, and since the two of you made it together its using both of your energies to 

keep itself stable. I'm afraid you'll have to stay quite close together for its stability to maintain 

itself."  
  
  
  
  
The two girls smiled almost shyly at each other and tried to look disappointed. Giles was still   
  
staring at their design, "It's very interesting though, usually whenever two people engage in such a 

spell the image falls apart. Very rarely are two energy signatures enough in tune with each other to 

maintain such a complex mirage." He shrugged his shoulders, "But again our first priority is Dawn."  
  
  
  
  
The girls nodded and Giles indicated that they should lead the way down the corridor. Their image  
  
hovered a few feet in front of them, directing and leading the way. Giles watched them for a 

moment and smiled at their giddiness before following close behind.  
  
  
  
_____  
  
  
  
Buffy's feet were killing her. She passed another doorway and tried the handle, it wasn't locked, but  
  
a quick look inside revealed nothing she could use to fight a god. She sighed, this was hopeless. All   
  
these rooms were either locked or empty! What bothered her though was she hadn't even found a 

flight of stairs, how huge was this building?  
  
  
  
She took off again down the hallway, the smell of charred wires floated up to her and hoping to find  
  
something fight-worthy Buffy boosted her speed to the next doorway. What she found inside made 

her heart sink.  
  
  
  
It was the same room her and Spike and busted in on Dawn and Professor Walsh. Buffy felt like 

beating her head against the wall, she'd been running all this time in circles!  
  
  
  
Buffy sighed and decided to look around anyways, this was Professor Walsh's workstation so there 

might be something she could use against Glory in here somewhere...  
  
  
  
Turning a full three-sixty, Buffy surveyed the room. A vague feeling of wrongness tickled at the 

back of her spine. She looked over the area and found her eyes drawn to the slight burn mark on 

the wall where Glory had gone mad on Adam's wired innards. Her eyes slide to the floor where the 

robot-creature had slumped and her pupils widened. Adam was gone.   
  
  
  
Oh crap. Buffy ran out of the room and down the section of corridor she had seen Spike and Dawn 

take off into. Adam was up and running, she'd thought him down for the count, but should have 

known better then to underestimate one of Professor Walsh's creations. Glory might be after her, 

but Adam was probably after Dawn. Besides she hadn't heard the steepled-foot god behind her in a 

while, so she just might have lost her this time.  
  
  
  
Buffy quickly came to a fork in the road, a right and left choice confronted her and the edgy Slayer  
  
stood there in panic, having no idea which way to go. Spike and Dawn had stood here, Buffy 

reminded herself, just think of them. Which way would they have gone?  
  
  
  
"Oh bloody hell..."  
  
  
  
The words sounded in her head - Spike's words, Spike's voice --- Buffy touched her hands to her   
  
belly. Which way? She silently asked her child, which way is your father?  
  
  
  
  
Father. The word struck her. She'd never really known her father, she thought she did, thought 

she'd known him and her mom. But then the fights had started, or had she just gotten old enough 

to recognize them?, and then she'd been called and she'd known no one - not herself, not her 

mother, not her father.  
  
  
  
  
But then Buffy's mom had moved them to Sunnydale and she'd developed a relationship with her, a  
  
better relationship. Even when her mom had found out about her Slayer alternate-life, she'd tried so   
  
hard to help her daughter in any way she could...  
  
  
  
  
Wait. Her daughter? Singular? Buffy's mind blanked out, but what about Dawn? She struggled to   
  
remember her sister's place in all of that and found it hard to remember any details. What was 

going on? Buffy wondered.   
  
  
  
But her baby's only thought was on its father. Insistently it sung out a direction - left. The   
  
sensation was an odd one - her child, barely days old, didn't really have any actual thought about 

its father, or where he might be, but the Slayer and Vampire energies that swarm about and 

enhanced each other knew instantly. Acting together they sung to her, the Slayer parts she 

recognized, the warm flow of rightness, the feeling of security in the whereabouts of vampires. But 

the vampire half was strange to her, it was a dark kind of acceptance, the promise of danger and 

the hint of darkness. That half frightened her, even as it appealed her to sinister half, the killer 

aspect of the Slayer she tried to hard to repress. A thought floated down to her: with such parents, 

what kind of child will this be?   
  
  
  
But the question was for later, right now she had to find Spike and Dawn and together the three of   
  
them had to get out of this crazy joint. Running full speed now the Slayer took off in the direction  
  
her child had pointed.   
  
  
  
Turning a corner she could see them up ahead. Willow and Giles she could see first, beside them 

stood a girl she didn't recognize. As she continued through the corner Dawn's figure came into view 

and in front of her was Spike ---  
  
  
  
Spike! Adam stood behind him, a crude wooden stake shoved up against his chest. He was saying   
  
something to Dawn, whose gaze betrayed her acceptance of the vampire and her pain at seeing him 

in danger.  Spike's face was twisted in rage of being caught, and his lips were curled back into a 

snarl.  
  
  
  
  
Buffy stopped in shock of seeing them. I'm too late, her mind cried to her, always too late...  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry, honey,"   
  
  
  
  
The silky words sounded from directly behind her and Buffy was forced to quell her initial response 

of retaliating when she felt the cold touch of metal at her throat.  
  
  
  
  
"This won't hurt a bit." And with those final words, Glory pulled the jagged edge across her throat.


	27. Death

**Something Green - Part 27**  
  
  
  
Spike felt the wooden stake against his chest. The point tipped towards him, cutting the first   
  
layer of skin. He knew his clothes wouldn't stop it, couldn't slow it down. Its deadly ability sunk into  
  
every item a vampire wore - if he moved, he was done for.  
  
  
  
  
Interestingly enough, it wasn't thoughts of his own safety that concerned him. Dawn's startling   
  
revelation which was still struggling to understand and Adam's cryptic words instead echoed in his 

mind.   
  
  
  
  
Why does he need Dawn? Spike couldn't help but wonder, what does he think she is?  
  
  
  
  
No - he looked to the young teenager whose pained expression did nothing to hide the new maturity  
  
in her eyes - not think, he knows something that we don't about her. Something important.  
  
  
  
  
Whatever it was, Spike wasn't about to let himself become a pawn of Adam's. He drew air into his  
  
lungs, feeling the tip of the wooden stake drive itself farther into his flesh as his chest expanded.   
  
He was going to yell at Dawn, to tell her not to listen to Adam, to tell her to make her own choice –

--  
  
  
  
  
But then he saw her - rounding the corner of the hall. Not wanting to give her position away he  
  
stared at her from the corner of his eye. She was staring at them, she even looked - looked 

concerned.  Was she afraid for him? Was it possible that she, that she actually cared?   
  
  
  
  
More likely it was Dawn she was fearful for. Her little sister in danger. Spike tried not to  
  
grimace, maybe he could just pretend she was worried about him, enjoy a small fantasy all his 

own...  
  
  
  
  
But then suddenly Glory was behind her with a knife to her throat. Ignoring precautions, Spike  
  
went to turn his head toward her, to warn them of the danger so someone - Giles, Willow, that 

other strange girl, anybody! - could help her.   
  
  
  
  
But just as he turned his head, Dawn's eyes following his motion, Spike saw the hideous blade  
  
come sweeping across her throat. Blood erupted from her arteries, spattered onto the ground and 

stained the knife Glory held with pleasure, a look of joy on her face. Spike watched - his heart 

twisted – the splatter, the slight sound of tearing flesh - they were things he had imagined, hell 

even dreamed about, for two years now. Killing the Slayer - it was all he'd wanted to do. He had 

seen it in his mind so many times in so many different ways - in one he would bite her, relishing in 

her blood, in another he would simply snap her neck and let her fall, sometimes he would combine 

the two - he'd break her neck then drain her, or drain her first then mutilate her after. He had 

dreamt these things while still wishing only to touch her, to feel her warm skin across his face, even 

if he ended it a moment later by his fangs sucking her dry.  
  
  
  
Before, earlier, when he'd thought Adam was about to kill her, Spike had almost been ready to let  
  
her die. She had wanted it so badly, he had felt it in her mind as their thoughts had touched so 

briefly.  He'd wondered if she'd seen his love there, swelling in his heart even as he realized the 

emotion for himself. He knew now that he'd loved the Slayer for longer than a couple days - a lot 

longer.  Sure he'd wanted to kill her, but he never had, had he? They'd simply danced with each 

other, learning off each other's skills, honing their destructive talents. Spike had enjoyed her too 

much to truly try and kill her, and he suspected, deep down somewhere, that she'd felt the same 

about him.  
  
  
  
Dru had certainly seen it, long after they'd escaped Sunnydale, she kept pointing it out to him,   
  
making him see how much he was obsessed with her, with the Slayer. She'd left him for that - he 

just couldn't get over the only woman, the only person, who'd ever stopped him.   
  
  
  
  
And now she was there, in front of him, her life's blood pouring on the floor and Spike knew that  
  
even in his younger days in Sunnydale he would have rushed to help this woman, padded her, done something, because she didn't deserve to die like this.  She was a warrior.  He'd almost lost her 

earlier that day - almost lost her to herself as much as to Adam. She'd wanted to die then, he'd 

known that - as all Slayer's wanted to die, but now there was something different on her face. 

There wasn't the same peacefulness, the almost joy as death confronted her, as her life's blood 

poured out onto the floor. Spike's heart cried out to her ---- to lose her now, when she finally 

wanted to live, when they just might - might - have a chance, was too much to bear. He had to do 

something, he couldn't live without this woman in his unlife.  
  
  
  
  
And with such a thought, the desire to do something, to help somehow, running through his mind – 

Spike promptly forgot about the wooden stake pressed against his chest and leapt forwards to help 

the only woman in the world he truly loved.  
  
  
  
  
She turned to him then - she looked at him with the saddest eyes, and Spike felt the stake pass  
  
through the outer layers of his chest, towards the unbeating heart that lay there, exposed now to 

the wooden fragments.   
  
  
  
  
He looked to her, she looked to him, and somehow they managed to fall together - forwards into 

each other dying arms they leapt like long lost lovers meeting again for the first time. They knew it 

was their last chance, their last time to hold each other, and for some reason, Spike smiled. It was 

right to die with her, he knew, Dawn could protect herself now, this young woman she'd suddenly 

become. He couldn't live without Buffy Summers - and he wouldn't.  
  
  
  
  
Buffy, he could barely see through the haze now, actually smiled back at him, though her gaze held 

a sadness he would never know what for, that the life of the child which grew in her womb would 

also be ended in this tragedy. So with perfect sadness they leap for each other, knowing full well 

each of them would be dead before they'd make it.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Glory stood behind Buffy, gathering the blood into her arms; Adam stood behind Spike, a look of   
  
shock on his previously maniacal face; Giles looked in horror as his almost daughter and the 

vampire he knew she loved died together in each other's arms; Willow was already crying, tears 

streaking her bare face, sparking currents off the new magic there; Tara watched, knowing 

instinctively something critical to the survival of the universe was occurring here; and Dawn simply 

stared, her sister falling dead almost at her feet, her best friend swirling into dust even as she 

watched.

No!  She wanted to shout – to cry.  She knew, she _knew that it wasn't supposed to end this_

way, that she wasn't supposed to be here.  Not yet – not _yet!_  

Dawn felt her energies swirl around her, felt for the first time the almost limitless well of power 

beneath her, waiting – wanting – to be called.  She felt the energies of her sister, at the same

time knowing it wasn't really her sister, whose blood shone a radiant, brilliant white.  She felt Spike, 

the vampire, his swirling form a blackness the colour of night to her new eyes.  She felt their 

energies together, falling together, _mean to be together_, and she watched as they died, right in 

front of her, the hope of the cosmos dissolving at her feet …    

   
  
  
  
  
... and with the new powers she knew she possessed, she decided to do something about it.


	28. Falling

**Something Green - Part 28**  
  
  
  
Buffy Summers felt herself falling...falling.... She seemed to sink a lot farther then she was   
  
standing from the floor. The world grew hazy around her and she sank deep into the clouds that had  
  
gathered. Somewhere off to her right a stream was trickling, the slow tinkle of water bubbling down 

a forgotten hill.  
  
  
  
  
She was standing now - off to her left a baby cried. She put her hand to her stomach but felt   
  
nothing there. The rush of water grew louder and her tears fell like drums on the soft earth by her  
  
feet. I'm so sorry, she cried soundlessly. Behind her the universe laughed and she threw her hands  
  
over her ears -- I didn't mean for it to end this way....  
  
  
  
  
"It wasn't supposed to."  
  
  
  
  
Buffy looked up to see a man standing before her. His business suit was rumbled and his face 

looked tired. He sighed and ran a rough hand through his tousled hair.  
  
  
  
  
"What?" She asked, confused.  
  
  
  
  
He looked at her sadly, "It wasn't supposed to end like this." He gestured to where she was  
  
standing, "It was supposed to end like that."  
  
  
  
  
And suddenly Buffy was standing on a hastily built metal structure. It was night and dark, the  
  
structure was swaying in the breeze and a strange growing light was forming off the corner of her 

gaze.  Buffy looked to see herself - she looked calm, her clothes were flapping in the breeze. 

Dawn stood off to the side, looking scared and hurt and older than Buffy had last seen her. She was 

crying and trying to say something, but the other Buffy cut her off and took her by the arms. Their 

words were lost to the wind, but suddenly her other self let go of their sister and took off down the 

platform. Blonde hair flowing in the wind the other Buffy dived off the end of the platform and into 

the growing light.  Currents flowed over her body and Buffy watched as her face grew peaceful as 

her end was near. The sun rose from behind the world then and with a last sizzle the light sunk and 

sputtered away, leaving the other Buffy to fall helplessly to her death, her body crumpled among 

the chunks of stone.   
  
  
  
  
Buffy stared, shocked, at the scene. The man stood beside her now, he placed his hands in his  
  
pockets. "That was how it was supposed to end,"  
  
  
  
  
Suddenly a sharp pain sounded in Buffy's head and she held her temples in pain. Her vision   
  
flickered: blue-white light around her / her own blood on the Initiative floor / searing teeth at her   
  
throat .... she coughed and water came up, her lungs were drowning, unable to get air .... Dawn 

was huffing as she ran into Giles's / her sister laughed at Faith's Slayer stories / she had no sister 

when Angel came back from hell ....   
  
  
  
  
Another sharp pain and she fell to her knees: Spike! He smirked at her in the high school /  
  
she was chained to a wall and he confessed that he loved her / his eyes locked onto her's as he 

swirled into dust / he cried over her body as the sun rose behind him ....  
  
  
  
  
The man beside her sighed, "You see, now, how everything has gone wrong." He gestured around 

them again and they stood in the Master's underground cave. Buffy stepped forward to see herself 

drowned in pool of water, the Master's teeth marks visible on her neck.  
  
  
  
  
"You thought we would forget about you," it was not a question, the man was repeating for her her  
  
own thoughts, "But it's not that easy. None who are called find it so."  
  
  
  
  
Buffy swirled to face him, her eyes burning, hands clenched, "I'd already died! Why couldn't you  
  
just have left me alone?!"  
  
  
  
  
The man looked helpless, "It was not us who brought you back," a shouting was heard behind them 

in the passage and Buffy turned to see Angel and Xander happen upon her lifeless form. She 

watched with expressionless eyes as they furiously tried to revive her, the look of relief on their 

faces as they did so.  
  
  
  
  
Buffy's shoulder's sagged, "It should have ended then. It would have been so much simpler."   
  
  
  
  
"You didn't really want it to end then."  
  
  
  
  
She didn't bother turning to him, "I didn't know how hard it would be." She ran a finger down the  
  
ancient passage walls, "I didn't have any idea."  
  
  
  
  
Another flash then: Angel above her in bed, moving together, a feeling she had never known – 

peace, happiness. A howl in the night, a lover changed - evil, sadistic - a sword through the chest, 

the taste of his lips ... he'd come back to her, but it had never been the same.   
  
  
  
  
Faith. A dark beauty - she'd envied her freedom, even when it lead her to evil. The joy she took   
  
in killing. Buffy'd felt the same darkness within her, but she'd quelled it, scared by what it had done  
  
to the man she loved.   
  
  
  
  
"That is not all," the man was beside her again, he raised his hands and moved them over her eyes,  
  
"there is more you were meant to know."  
  
  
  
  
Her sister then, flickering in the pictures as Buffy walked by / Riley holding her close, pressing  
  
his lips against her / the Knights of Byzantium, chasing them / Glory, smiling as she hit her / Spike,  
  
screaming that she tormented him / her mother, eyes unseeing, on the couch / the light again, 

swirling, beautiful, calling her....  
  
  
  
  
He passed his hand again over her eyes, "But it did not end there...."  
  
  
  
  
Peace, happiness / a tearing, wrenching pain / a box, her coffin, panic, fear / her friends, their   
  
faces blurry, their voices painful, reminding her of what she had lost / Willow, her power growing / 

Dawn, she had to protect her, she had to keep her safe, even if it strangled her / Spike, the only 

one who listened, who made her laugh / a broken house, a desperate need / Tara, a confession, a 

realization of disgust   Spike, his eyes painful, as she walked away from him   Willow, her eyes dark, 

giving in to the power Buffy had tried so long to ignore, the darkness Spike tried to draw from her 

an encounter in the bathroom a tearing a wrenching pain a flash to her box, her coffin the face 

above her twisted in insanity panic fear desperation oh god someone help her someone please help 

her she shook her head as she tried to make it stopjustmakeitstopjustpleaseMAKEITALLGOAWAY  
  
  
  
  
Stop. A heart beat. Boom-ba-boom.   
  
  
  
  
Buffy raised her head to the darkening sky. Boom-ba-boom.  
  
  
  
  
The man was behind her again. "It was written, you know." Buffy closed her eyes. She could feel  
  
the man smile, "I guess you get that a lot." Steps on the grass, he spoke from beside her this time.  
  
"Never written in words, of course." He looked up at the sky, the clouds were boiling, "The great 

ones never are."  
  
  
  
  
Buffy couldn't resist, she turned to him, "How was it told then?"  
  
  
  
  
He looked at her, "It was sung. A ballad. To bring hope to the hopeless." He smiled and a light  
  
seemed to fall upon her, "Your story brought peace to them, even then."  
  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head sadly, "I don't find it very peaceful."  
  
  
  
  
"That's because you haven't gotten to the end yet." The man reached a finger to the sky, the clouds  
  
began to clear and a cheer rang out below them. Buffy looked down to find they were standing on a 

great cliff, a city stretched out below them, surrounded by trees and rivers, its skyscrapers seemed 

less harsh, their impact lighter, then on her world.   
  
  
  
  
"This is your world," the man seemed to hear her thoughts, "Or at least, it will be." There were   
  
parades in the streets, a world united in celebration. An echo seemed to reach to them from the 

sky.  The man looked up, "We're there too, now. In the stars. Many people came home today 

though, to celebrate."  
  
  
  
  
Buffy looked at him, "To celebrate what?"  
  
  
  
  
"The anniversary of salvation. Years ago on this day the Resistance won the war against the 

demons, the vampires, and the forces of darkness." The words rung in her mind as he looked at her 

and nodded,  "Yes Buffy, the Slayers no longer fought alone. The world joined with them and beat 

down the darkness.  Demons remain, but their aims are peaceful, as are the values of humans." He 

looked sad, "That last, great war seemed to drive away our own darkness as well. We saw too many 

horrors to brutalize each other any more."  
  
  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head, "I don't underst----"  
  
  
  
  
The man cut her off, "It is also the celebration of another day." He pointed to the banners being  
  
raised in the city, "A birthday, actually. Happened to fall on the same day as the end of the war." 

The man smiled, "Funny how coincidences sometimes work out."  
  
  
  
  
Buffy tried to read the name on the banners but they were too far away, "I don't understand. 

Whose birthday?"  
  
  
  
  
The man smiled and pointed to her right, "William's. Your child."  
  
  
  
  
Buffy followed his hand and saw a young man standing off to the side of the cliff. He was tall and   
  
slim, his hair slightly curly and a dusty-blonde. He had green eyes, and they twinkled as they 

smiled, as they did now at her. Buffy stared at him in shock.  
  
  
  
  
The man walked up and stood beside her. "He will be the first," he told her, "The first male Slayer.   
  
The son of a vampire and the Slayer, he will possess the talents of each, a man half demon but 

more than demon, half Slayer but more than a Slayer."   
  
  
  
  
"A vampire," the man spoke as he circled behind her, "is the natural counterpart to a Slayer. Born  
  
enemies, they fight constantly, ceaselessly. This child is a product of those enemies, from parents 

who walk in darkness his step will shed only light. And when he dies," he fixed Buffy a stare as a 

sob escaped her, "for he will die - another will rise in his place. The energies that created him are 

too strong to die with one man. He will be chosen from among the recently turned, as the Slayer is 

among the recently alive. Both will be young, and strong, and will help each other through the times 

of darkness. They will emerge, along with the rest of humanity and good demon-kind, victorious."  
  
  
  
  
The man shook his head, "These details need not truly concern you, they are hundreds of years 

hence, but you must be made to know that the world is not hopeless, that your child shall help save 

it all."  
  
  
  
  
A tear rolled down her cheek, joined swiftly by another, "But it's all over now." She touched her  
  
still belly, "He's dead, we're both dead."  
  
  
  
  
But the man shook his head, "It is not only with you the universe is concerned. All this was brought  
  
about early, too early in fact, but we have done what we can to hurry things." He looked at her, 

"You are dead, yes. But this child is not - he is not, you realize, ever going to be really alive." The 

man shrugged, "Yes, you are dead. But, Buffy Summers," he smiled, "you are a woman not easily 

delayed by such facts. There is more that must occur before the child can be born."  
  
  
  
  
He turned from the celebrating city and the grown child standing before them a lead her to another   
  
cliff under which sat the stilled images of her other life, "Quiet now, and watch."


	29. The Great Ones Never Are

**Something Green - Part 29**  
  
  
He was swirling, there was no other way to describe it.   
  
  
Spike had dusted vampires before, quite a couple, in fact, that had gotten in his way. But he'd 

never really stopped to consider what it would feel like. It was like how humans dealt with death, he 

supposed, but that didn't really apply to him since he was already dead, and the dying part hadn't 

been that bad. He only remembered the searing pain of Drusilla's fangs, the cold tingle that was his 

loss of blood, then the sweet, purifying knowledge that when he rose again he would be more 

powerful then ever before.  
  
  
  
This wasn't like that.  
  
  
  
This was much better.  
  
  
  
He was becoming everywhere at once, experiencing, living, in a thousand different ways. He could   
  
feel the people around him: Dawn - her power her understood now, could SEE the green swirling 

energy that was her true form, hiding just below the illusion of human flesh. Willow: her power was 

growing, energy was pouring off of her in waves and Spike realized they always had been, only now 

they were becoming stronger.  The girl beside her was mesmerizing to watch too - her aura seemed 

to mingle with that of Willow's, a perfect blend of magical strengths. Giles stood in the corner, Spike 

watched the complex levels of emotions rolling off his mind - and realized the Watcher had 

respected him more than he'd ever known.  
  
  
  
Buffy.  
  
  
  
She was in front of him, he was around her - his swirling mist reached forward to encompass her 

falling form. He would have given anything to save her, but all he could do was watch, secure in the 

knowledge that he wouldn't have to try and live without her.   
  
  
  
Spike felt himself disengaging from this reality. As he realized this he saw an odd shimmer start to   
  
appear behind the Slayer, a clear light that was reaching out to him. Spike started to turn towards 

it, but his shifting vision caught something odd in the Slayer's aura. There was another light there, 

one small and delicate, its form not even visible, but its energies reached out to him, at once 

familiar and strange....  
  
  
  
....but the other light was not to be ignored. It was growing faster now, stretching into the form of  
  
a man - a man with curly hair, a lopsided smile, a man who held a notebook in one hand, a man 

who had died a very long time ago...  
  
  
  
The apparition smiled at him, odd since they hadn't been acquainted in years, and held out a hand.   
  
Spike felt the demon in him screaming in anger, but knew that part of him was being destroyed, 

swirling out from existence even as his other, long lost half reached out a forgiving hand. With a 

choked sob – for how did a pile of dust cry? - Spike extended his left arm and reached forward, 

feeling the satisfying grasp of warm flesh as he did so. The other arm gave a little yank and 

suddenly ---  
  
  
  
--- suddenly he was in London, the sky was dark and the alley familiar. A lorry rolled by, Spike let  
  
his eyes linger on the buildings, the taste of the night air. A sharp stinging feeling hit him suddenly,  
  
and after a confused moment he recognized it as fear. He took another deep breath of the night – 

his stomach cramping, nails stinging his palm.   
  
  
  
It was the night. The mere presence of so much darkness around him. His natural element for the 

past two hundred plus years was suddenly his worst enemy. Spike remembered how he used to 

hate the darkness, the voices night time always seemed to bring. Another voice was talking to him 

now, Spike looked over to see a familiar sight, Drusilla pressed against a man Spike had a hard time 

recognizing. William. Of course. But William was dead - of course, Spike was now too.  
  
  
  
Dru was whispering to him, promising him power - what were the words she'd used? "Something   
  
glowing and glistening. Something ... effulgent." Spike smiled at the memory, she'd always known 

how to manipulate him.  
  
  
  
He didn't really need to remember though, it was happening all over again right in front of him.   
  
Spike wondered if every vampire ended existence like this, with another look at their last moment 

of life.  
  
  
  
"No," a voice beside him replied, casually, "But we're different - special, even."  
  
  
  
Spike turned to see his other half looking back at him, "What do you mean?" he asked William.  
  
  
  
"It means we get the chance to make a choice. I mean - YOU get to make a choice, mine's already   
  
been made."  
  
  
  
Spike actually snorted, the only time the universe seemed to concerned with him was when it was   
  
conspiring against him. "Really." It wasn't a question.  
  
  
  
William never even blinked an eye. "Yes," he replied, "really."  
  
  
  
He stopped there, forcing Spike to actually ask. "What choice, then?"  
  
  
  
"The choice whether to live - again."  
  
  
  
Spike remembered Buffy falling before him, he shook his head. "No, I spent over two hundred years   
  
doing - being - someone that she could never trust. Hated, even. I couldn't go back and try to live  
  
another two hundreds years without her. I don't even want to try."  
  
  
  
"What about Dawn?" William asked, his tone still light and casual, "Aren't you concerned about 

her?"  
  
  
  
Spike started to shrug but stopped and sighed, "Yeah," he admitted, "I am. I LIKED her - she had  
  
spunk, had personality," he smiled, remembering his last realization, "But then she was never really 

there was she? I'm starting to remember again, what it was like before Dawn Summers."  
  
  
  
The memories weren't pleasant, not to him, not anymore. They weren't much different though.   
  
  
  
Spike shrugged, "She knows who she is now too. She can take care of herself." He thought for a  
  
moment, "There isn't any reason to go back, there wouldn't be a point. I don't understand why 

anyone would even offer me the choice."  
  
  
  
William shrugged, "Don't look at me. I know even less then you do. They came and asked me 

though, if I wanted to go back, I'd have to live with you of course, deal with what you've done. 

They've ---" he actually stumbled for a bit before recovering himself " -- They've shown me 

pictures, of what you---of what WE did. They aren't pretty."  
  
  
  
"It wasn't." He thought for a moment, "Fun at the time though."  
  
  
  
William actually shouted, "How can you be like that?! So cold - do you know how many we've 

killed?"  
  
  
  
Spike snorted, "I'm a vampire - I feast on the living, in doing so I bring death. It was the first  
  
lesson Angel taught me. A good one too." William shook his head at him, but Spike's mind was 

suddenly elsewhere and he didn't seem to notice, "Wait a minute ---"   
  
  
  
In thinking about Angelus he'd remembered something...something he'd wondered a long time ago. 

When he found out Angel and Buffy had slept together. It hadn't bothered him at the time - though 

he felt distinctly jealous now - but he wondered, merely out of curiosity, just how old the Slayer had 

been. If she'd been of child-rearing age. He knew it was impossible, but at the time he'd allowed 

himself to wonder what a child of theirs would be like, half vampire and half Slayer, especially with 

such a jack-ass for a father...  
  
  
  
And he'd wondered what such a child would FEEL like - would it give him the same tingling he got   
  
when other vamps were around, the distinctive vibration of the undead. Or would it send off Slayer   
  
signals? The whisper of blood and violence his demon half had thrived upon. Or would it combine 

those two ingrained signals, toss off some kind of weird vibe he just might find impossible to 

ignore....  
  
  
  
  
....and that's when he realized what he'd felt off Buffy in that moment before he'd turned away from  
  
her. That odd combination of vampire and slayer - it had emanated from a spot just below her belly, 

had been so faint he'd only realized at the last possible moment, unknowing of what it truly was....  
  
  
  
  
The Slayer was pregnant. Buffy was pregnant. And pregnant with a vampire's child. Spike suddenly  
  
growled to himself, jealous of whatever bloke had gotten a hold of her. Angel must have come back 

to town - forgotten his favorite jacket or some such nonsense, and bagged the Slayer when she was 

still recovering from Willow's little spell....  
  
  
  
  
The spell. Bloody hell. The spell that had caused Buffy to fall in love with him. The spell that   
  
had led to a little escape in Giles's upper bathroom. The feel of the her against him, around him, the   
  
memory that had survived the dispersion of the lovers energy that Willow had gathered around 

him...  
  
  
  
Bloody hell.   
  
  
  
Spike thought back to his brief contact with the slayer/vampire energy, the sudden establishment 

and subsequent loss of contact. The strange feeling of familiarity, not of Angel's distinctive feel, but 

of another, much more personal one...  
  
  
  
  
Buffy was indeed pregnant, but she was pregnant with HIS child.  
  
  
  
  
William turned to him, "Now you understand why Their offering us another chance. That child needs 

a father - the child needs us."


	30. Something Effulgent

Something Green – Part Thirty

            "_Welcome, warriors.  You have arrived in time; the battle is not yet lost."_

            The ancient, all-knowing voice hit Xander Harris in the middle of the Main and Second Street crosswalk, causing him to stumble as the lights began to flash.  Beside him his girlfriend and ex-demon sidekick caught his arm and hurriedly dragged him to the corner before impatient drivers could begin honking their horns.

            _Warriors… battle…hero…XANDER…_

            "Xander?" Anya's beautiful face was twisted in concern as she peered down at him, "What's wrong?" 

            Xander looked up at her in confusion, her face blurring into green mist before him.  The picture was wrong somehow … Anya had said his name but she wasn't the one who had issued the challenge, wasn't the one who had demanded his help.  He tried to smile at his post-demon girlfriend, to reassure her that he was alright, abet startled, but the Voice hit him again, shattering any intended expression.  Above him Anya's face faded out as the other presence slammed into him, louder and more desperate then before.  Feeling lost in the sudden darkness, Xander struggled to see past the fear and worry pounding in his mind.  He tried to focus on the words that were ringing behind the strong emotions – someone, some_thing was trying desperately to reach him and he couldn't place the familiar voice that sounded behind the incredible sense of __age …._

            "Honey, are you alright?  Is this physical or magical?  Cause if Willow's playing with more spells I'm going to ---"

            "No." The word croaked from his suddenly dry lips and Anya stopped, startled. Xander was reaching towards something, his hands grasping something only he could see.

            "No, quickly – Dawn!"  His voice rushed out of its own accord as Xander shot up from the pavement, his eyes wild and unfocused while Anya stared at him, confused. 

            "Xander we don't know a Dawn – well except for that useless young service lady at the ice cream parlour because I _think_ her nametag said 'Dawn' and do you she'll get fired for making us that horrible triple-chocolate sundae because I don't know about you but that _definitely_ wasn't chocolate…."

            Anya was a dim blur behind the chaos in his mind.  Xander felt himself lost in a swirling green mist, drowning in a power he couldn't understand.  Suddenly then the voice stopped and an assault of images flooded into him.  The urgency in them made him leap and with a lurch Xander threw himself down the sidewalk but missed his step and stumbled until Anya, surprised, caught him quickly before he fell.

            "Xander, stop this!  You're going to fall down and break you're nose and that will not add to your male-ness nor sense of humour!"

            Blinking furiously Xander managed to focus for a moment on her face, and struggled to make her understand, "Anya – Anya we have to go, quickly!"

            She looked around confused, "Where?"

            Xander shook his head, the images were coming fast now, so quickly he had trouble understanding them, "I – I don't know.  It's…somewhere nearby, with white corridors and… Buffy is there, with Willow and Giles and … and Spike."

            "Spike?" Anya looked doubtful, "Why would Buffy be anywhere with Spike?  Unless Willow …"

            Xander shook his head impatiently, "No!  No it wasn't like that, it – they were in danger, and Dawn was calling me and she sounded _old_ and, and _powerful_, andwe have to go help!"  

            Anya bit her lower lip worriedly, "But who do you …" she paused and Xander could almost see the green wind as it swept through her form, "Oh, _Dawn_!  Of course, Buffy's little sister whom we pretend to like but actually find annoying and who around I am not allowed to talk about sex, orgasms or the culmination of either."

            Xander started to smile but winced as his head began to throb, "Yes, _that_ Dawn."  He shook his head, "But the pictures are fading – I can't, can't quite…" he squinted as if trying to see through a blizzard and Anya brushed his face gently.

            "Honey, if we don't know where they are I can't see how we could possibly…"

            Suddenly Xander shot away from her touch and stumbled backwards, his eyes wide with pain and despair, "No!  Buffy, behind you!" he cried.  Before his vision something happened and he was suddenly slack, his form folding around itself and with only that much warning he started to sob, deep, soul-wrenching tears which tore a hole through Anya's heart.  Quickly she rushed over to him and cradled his face as he slumped to the ground, "No, it's not possible, no…"

            "What?  What happened?"  Anya felt fear well up inside of her as she watched Xander cry, tears flowing freely now from his eyes.  She hated it when Xander cried, "What's happening?  Is the world ending – again?"

            He seemed oblivious to her calls and just sat their, dazed on the sidewalk as pedestrians mingled around them.  Leaning in closer she could hear him whispering, "so much blood…" and Anya caught her breath.  

"Xander…" she was frightened now, and mad that she was frightened – Xander was not supposed to make her scared.  "Xander, what's happened?"

This time he heard her.  Breathing heavily Xander turned to see her, his face and eyes lost in a despair that quickly froze her heart.

            "It's Buffy, she –" he took a deep, shuddering, breath, "– she's dead."

---------------------

            Buffy Summers fell to the dirt ground, her breath coming out in ragged gasps, her eyes stunned and unfocused.  Slowly, shock and pain still evident on her face, the tears began to fall.

            Mark Kingston stood a little ways away, his hand stuffed into his trouser pockets, his face betraying his sympathy for her pain.

            Finally Buffy found words through her grief, "But why?  Why show me this now?  If this future won't occur, if none of this is going to happen – why?"

            Mark shrugged, "Just because it wont happen doesn't mean it isn't important.  How else could you have forgiven him if you had not seen the pain he suffered for his soul?  After what he did to you?  How else could you have allowed yourself to fall in love with him, to have a child with him, without that pain and forgiveness?"

            Buffy wiped the tears from her dirt streaked face, "It wouldn't have been as much about forgiving him as about…"

            "…forgiving yourself?" Mark finished for her.  

            She looked up at him and he shrugged, "Buffy, you link growth with pain, forgiveness with pain, pleasure with pain.  It's hard for you to separate anything from that dull ache you go to sleep with each night and wake up with each morning.  You couldn't accept him into your life without pain, and you couldn't forgive him without it either.  You don't need to hate that about yourself, it's just a part of who you are."  He shook his head, "Contrary to what some people might believe, the Slayer is not chosen with a random dice roll, she is chosen of those women who have the strength to withstand the trials that await them."  He smiled at her, "Slayers learn early to live with constant physical and emotional agony – they just didn't have the time to grow as dependent upon it as you have." 

            Buffy stared at him looking thoughtful, but then quickly hung her head, ashamed.  "But he did it all for me.  Everything – he did it for me."

            Mark nodded, "Yes.  And that – then – would have helped you make the choice, but now you don't have those memories to fall back on, so we had to help you re-remember them."

            She looked at him, confused, "For what choice?  To decide what?"

            "To decide to live, to have your child and pledge to raise him knowing only that he will never be normal and that his life will constantly be in danger.  Or, to die, to take your child with you and fall, finally, into the abyss every Slayer dreams for."

            She grew silent then and Mark watched her.  So small, so fragile she looked sitting there, a dirty, tear-dried mess on the earth's floor, and he praised the Powers for choosing so perfectly with this one.  

            Her eyes glazed over with the choice before her, and Buffy thought: _to rest.  _The memories skip over that part but I know what it would feel like to rest….to finally know that I don't have to face another day, that I don't have to be strong any longer…_ _

Mark watched her hold the choice in front of her and held up an open palm.  At the motion she stopped and looked up at him.  

            "This is, I know, a difficult one.  Any other Slayer would have had to make this choice alone, but you have never been alone Buffy, though you might have felt like it often.  The Powers have agreed that you should have help to make this choice."

            Her eyes lit up for a moment, "Spike?"

            Mark shook his head, "No, he is facing his own decision at the moment.  For now you need someone you trust with whom you can talk this over."

            Buffy heard the_ crunch-crunch_ of footsteps over loose pebbles then as a figure moved in from behind her.  Turning, her eyes widened in relief and then confusion.  Staring at the person before her she asked, "Anya?"


	31. The Demon, The Hero

Something Green ch. 31

            His first instinct was to find the nearest roof-top and shout to the world that he was going to be a father.

            His second was to add to that glorious statement the fact that _Buffy was carrying his child._

            His third was to growl in blind anger and the first demon that tried to touch Buffy or their child.

            ... And that's when the terrible memories reinserted themselves.  Buffy, her life's blood falling thickly onto the Initiative floor, her eyes searching for his, an infinite sadness he couldn't understand …  

            With a sob Spike fell to the ground in the London alley.  His heart, which a moment ago had felt like it was about to burst with happiness, tore at his chest in an effort to break free and crush itself.  Blindly, he looked around for a stake, and then remembered that he was already dead.

            His howl of pain changed at that moment into a vicious growl for revenge.  Turning on his heel he spun up and off the ground in one savage moment and had William locked between the palm of his hands and against the alley wall before the lad could realize he was being attacked.

            "Why?" Spike shouted, "Why tell me this now when she's already dead?  Why give us this gift before you tear it away?  What do the Powers have against us!?"

            William the Bloody bad Poet would have been frightened by this display of heartbroken attack, but William had died 120 years ago – in this very alley – and had been awoken earlier that day by the Powers that Be Themselves to make a Choice.  They tried to keep the knowledge from him, but William had always been a perceptive bloke and had realized in the words behind the words they were speaking was the knowledge that he was going to be a father.

            A father.  It hadn't been too high on his list of immediate priorities in life, those had focused more on finding a wife he could love and embrace and not one his relatives had picked out for him.  The children were quiet easy, he had always believed, and would naturally follow from their parent's everlasting love.

            He was a romantic bloke, but that had been his thought process at the time.

            But then he had died, and all chances of a family had died with him.  William looked steadily into Spike's broken face, in it he could see the torture of his own dying revelation etched into the lines on that identical man.  William knew the grief Spike was feeling, and that common ground made it easier to accept his rather large previous transgressions.  The railroad spike had released a little too much blood for William's peace of mind.

            "They don't hate you," his voice was gentle, "In fact they're quite impressed.  A vampire who learns to love almost unselfishly – it's practically unheard of.  Did you know that in a future timeline, you actually seek me out?"

            Spike's grip on his other self relaxed slightly and the words sifted slowly through his haze of anger and pain.  He didn't trust himself to speak, and simply shook his head.

            "You do."  William's voice was still gentle and caring which was what Spike needed at that moment – an appeal to his human side before the demon got loose and destroyed the world.

            William knew this, "It was for Buffy's sake, believe it or not.  You … you tried to hurt her, you _did hurt her, after loving her so much, so you fixed it the only way you could – you won back your soul."_

            Spike's dry lips cracked out the words, "Did it work?"  Maybe at least there was one time line where he and Buffy could be happy.

            William's look turned bemused, "I'm not sure yet.  This rather sudden emergency caught my attention.  It seemed to be working, but we weren't quite ready to work together then."  He took a deep breath, "I hope we are now."

            Spike stood his head dumbly and the movement sent him stumbling backwards fumbling in grief and pain.  He lost his footing and fell against the brick wall.

            "What's the point?" he asked bleakly from the cold, dirty London floor, "She's already dead.  I couldn't move fast enough, I couldn't save her.  And our …" he choked, unable to even form the word, "…anything thing inside of her is dead now too."

            But William shook his head and Spike felt his unneeded breath catch, "It is not yet decided.  She too has a Choice today to make."

            "A … a Choice?" his voice was hesitantly hopeful.

            "To live or to die.  For a Slayer, as you well know, that choice is not an easy one."

            The light in Spike's eyes died for a moment, but then he remembered her earlier desire to live, to tell him about the truth hidden deep in her eyes that he never could have guessed at while alive – well, more alive then he was now.

            "And what's my Choice?" Spike laughed brokenly, "I'm still as dead as she is."

            But William shook his head again, "You too have the choice to live – again – but there's a catch."

            Spike lifted one eyebrow, "A catch?"

            "To come with me, to _join _with me, and enter the world once again whole, or to stay here – dead – and remain separated from your soul.  William the Bloody was cracked in half a long time ago and only with him joined can our child live.  It is…" he cracked a smile, "… it is written."  He actually laughed, "Can you believe it?  Our name was sung in joyous prophecy centuries upon centuries ago."  He turned serious, "_Our _name.  They knew yours, they knew mine, and they sung that as we were made One, our child would be born.  This has to happen Spike, so it's up to you now to decide, my choice is already made.  Take my hand now and remember me and we can walk from this place and take our rightful place at Buffy's side."

            He paused, "Or, if the pain is too much for you – and I know that it is great – you can choose to stay here, alone, and the next stage of death with come for you."  He shook his head, "I don't really know what that is, for a vampire, but like I said – the Powers are impressed with you.  Even if you remain here alone, I can't imagine they would punish you."

            Spike paused in thought for a moment.  Even since he had laid eyes on William – the first time he had seen his reflection in 120 odd years – he had felt the cold hand of half-forgotten memories crowding his heart.  His life before being Turned had not been a particularly happy one, and he knew that if he reached up now and took his other self's hand, those memories would become all-to-brilliantly sharp.

            But … Buffy's face came unbidden to mind.  Staying here would mean loosing her forever.  She had her own Choice to make, William had said.  What if she chose to live, and he was stuck here forever without her?  The torture of that thought blotted out the pain of his earlier memories and in that moment, his Choice was made.

            He reached up to take William's hand, but William moved back a step.

            "Good.  I'm glad you're ready to try and work together," he smiled truthfully but quickly turned serious, "but the pain of joining again will be overpowering – for both of us.  We don't have a few months to waste being insane again –" Spike's eyebrows rose at that one "– so the Power's have permitted that someone be sent to help us make this transition."

            Now Spike _was curious, "Who?" he asked his other self._

            The odd combination of rubber running shoes on eighteen century London gravel came to him from his left side and Spike turned to see the person who was supposed to help him rejoin his former self.

            "Xander?" 


	32. Power in the Wrong Hands

Something Green Ch. 32

            Willow Rosenberg was staring blindly as her best friend fell dead almost at her feet.  Behind her the figure of a woman could be seen, gathering Buffy's pouring blood into her arms and grinning manically with success.  Willow didn't even pause to think twice before she lifted her hands above her head and began to chant in a low, dark voice beneath her breath.

            Glory actually seemed shocked as the bolt of magical lightning stuck her.  She stumbled once, and then glared at Willow angrily.

            "Can't you see I'm in the middle of something important here?!"  She yelled.  She pointed a dripping finger at the infuriated witch and a bolt of raw power struck Willow straight on, throwing her across the hallway and denting the wall with her skull.  

            The blonde girl beside her raised her hands in a similar stance but Glory smiled viciously as she called upon the power in the Slayers pregnant blood and sent a shot her way too, sending the girl flying across the hallway to lie unconscious beside her girlfriend.

            Glory smiled into the blood lining her palms.  The feeling was incredible.  There was no need to wait, no Lock to fit.  A Key was an instrument of precision, what she held now was pure Power.

            Giles watched in horror as the self-proclaimed god raised arms drenched in Buffy's blood and pressed them flat against the air in front of her.  The air seemed to shift and then harden, and Giles could actually _see_ the glowing dimensional strings which connected the realms of realities as they shimmered into existence.  The god was smiling as she brought her hands back about a foot and then slammed them down onto those oh-so-fragile strings.  With a loud ripping sound her palms sliced through the threads and the veil between realities was torn.

            With a laugh that boarded on the insane the woman in the red dress grasped the edges of the rip and stretched the hole wider.  A bright white light filled the corridor as the broken strings shot light and confusion everywhere, a different reality clearly visible beneath the two-dimensional tear.      

            Giles was lost.  He had no idea what to do.  Buffy was gone, Spike – Spike was gone too.  The creature that had stabbed him was alternating its confused glance between the rather large pile of dust on the clean tiled floor and the disturbance of reality occurring directly in front of him.  Giles forced himself to look at the reality lying between those broken strings.  He forced himself to remember the theories, pictures and speculations on alternate dimensions, and tried to place in his mind the vista he could see before him.   

            His brain didn't have to make the click.  A sudden roar erupted from the hole and Giles could suddenly see the blood-rain that fell constantly in that horrible place.  A Hell dimension then, deep and awful and realising its release.  Glory stood before it in terrible success, her voice became truly god-like, deep and reverberating, as she shouted into the awful hole, "Hear me, my subjects!  You're God has returned to you and offers you a new world to destroy!"

            The creatures from beneath the hole roared back at her, their tone sounding all too joyous for Giles to gleam any hope of misunderstanding.  He looked in near-panic at the broken and dangling strings.  There was nothing he, a mere mortal without herbs or books or incantations, could do to stop the carnage that would erupt from that world.

            Frantically Giles looked around him for help.  Willow and the other blonde girl were unconscious, Buffy and Spike were gone and Dawn – he stared suddenly at the Summer's youngest daughter.  Dawn was, was _glowing._

            Glowing green, in fact.  Her eyes were empty pits of swirling energy and Giles remembered with a shock the look on the commando's face when he had lifted his instrument to Dawn's form.  Only now did he begin to understand what had frightened the man so wildly he had practically dragged Dawn away from her family.  _But this, thought Giles blindly, __could any human instrument have predicted this?_

            Dawn had focused her gaze on Glory and the rift she had created.  With her new awareness of herself and her history, Dawn could feel the terrible pain of that rift in her soul.  It was against everything the Universe stood for, and Dawn had to close it, no matter what the cost.

            She had to give Buffy and Spike enough time to make up their minds, though, before she lost them their chance forever.  The portal needed blood to close its strings forever, and Dawn knew that this time it wasn't Summer's blood the threads needed.  This time it was Buffy, and Buffy's blood alone, that could close what it had opened.

            She needed to give them just a little more time.  Spike's ashes lay thickly on the ground and Buffy's dead body slumped a little beyond them but Dawn knew this was inconsequential.  What _really _mattered was how long she delayed before she pushed Buffy's body back through that hole.  If she didn't give her sister enough time, the Choice would be made for her.

            And it wouldn't be the decision that would leave Dawn an aunt.  

            Turning her head so her glowing eyes could focus on Giles, Dawn stifled a sigh of regret.  He was never going to look at her the same, after this.  And though it hadn't actually been for very long, Dawn enjoyed the created memories about Giles's chasing a young Dawn Summers through his shop.

            "We need to keep her occupied," she told Buffy's adopted father, raising her voice to speak above the noise of the creatures from Glory's dimension, "We need to give them a little more time."

            She wasn't sure if Giles understood, but he nodded to her all the same.  Frowning he looked back at the maniacal Glory and her roaring portal, "But how can we distract her?  She'll kill us –" he choked, "– kill me, before we even get near her!"

            Dawn raised her glowing eyes to Adam, who still stood transfixed in the hallway, and said, "Him."


	33. Choices Made

Something Green ch. 33

            Buffy Summers stared in bewilderment at Anya.  "Wh ---"

            "What I am doing here?" Anya finished for her, looking around the hill-top in obvious confusion.  Buffy watched unsure as her gaze traveled the city in the distance, the trees and rivers and skyscrapers so much lighter on the earth then in their time.  Buffy looked around again with her, and saw without surprise that the man in the rumbled suit was gone.  She looked back to Anya and found she was waiting for her approval, but the ex-demon examined everything around them without comment.  Finally her gaze settled on Buffy.  

            "Xander said you were dead." She told the older Ms. Summers matter-a-factly.  She examined her critically and shook her head, "You don't seem very dead to me."

            Buffy's eyes widened as her hand went unconsciously to her throat.  It was clear, but she knew, in her real body, it wasn't.  She hadn't seen Xander in the Initiative at all, but Giles could have called him and he might have arrived just as she … as Glory … 

            The memory seemed press on her suddenly – Spike, falling, swirling into dust just as she fell, dying, into his arms ….  Buffy watched as Anya looked her over top to bottom and wondered if this was truly the reason Anya, and not Spike, had been allowed to help her Choose.  The man in the rumpled suit had said he had his own Choice to make --- but what if he had already chosen?  What if he wanted to die, too?  Buffy squeezed her eyes tight against the memory of him falling into dust before her feet … how did They expect a hero from this child when both his parents wanted to die?

            Anya, apparently unaware of her thoughts, had finished her assessment and declared in a very business-like tone, dragging her back to this moment, to this Choice, "Nope, very alive looking to me."

            The ex-demon glanced around the hill-top again, "Of course we don't seem to be anywhere in Sunnydale that I recognize, and I traveled quite a bit through this town as a vengeance demon."  She peered into Buffy's face with an unscrupulous gaze, "So I guess we're trapped in your mind at the moment then, huh?"  At Buffy's startled look, she shrugged, "Well Xander seemed pretty sure you were dead.  And you've not a mark on you – must be all imaginary then."  Anya looked west ward where the brilliant sun –(was it, too, more beautiful here?)– and explained.

             "Well the easiest thing then is to simply walk out via the long tunnel we came in."  She pointed to a faint trail leading down the rather steep hill, "I think it's this way."  Anya looked at Buffy who had made no effort to move, then promptly reached forward and unceremoniously grasped Buffy's arm, "Come on, then – we can get home before Xander tries to save us and have corresponding hero-sex for a week."

            Buffy found herself being dragged down the beaten path towards the end of the cliff face and the setting sun and struggled to tug herself from Anya's grip.  Her Slayer strength seemed to have left her completely.

            "No, Anya, wait!"  Buffy tried to plant her feet in the dusty path.  "Wait, we – we can't leave yet ----" She stumbled, startled.  Her voice drifted off as they stared down the hill as the end of the beaten path came into view.  It was a hazy apparition in the middle of the dusty road: the Initiative floor, Buffy face, she lay as if sleeping; her dusty blonde hair resting lightly upon her face.  The peaceful picture was ruined only by the puddle of blood that had collected around her head and the incredibly sad expression on her face.  Pale grey dust was caught fluttering delicately around her face, as if the picture were frozen in time.  Buffy stared, at once horrified and intrigued, revolted and at peace.  The dust, she saw, was not frozen, but was falling so slowly it at first glance had appeared to be time-less.  Buffy understood now that she only had a limited amount of time in which to make her Choice.  Time moved slower in this happy place, but it moved all the same.  

            Anya was staring at the picture and a small "oh" came from her lips as she saw the deep gash on the real Buffy's throat.

            She turned to the Slayer and said rather matter-a-factly, "Xander was right – you _are dead."_

            Buffy looked angrily at Anya, "Well of _course_ I am!  That's why I need you here – I need you to…"  She stopped, suddenly embarrassed.

            But Anya just stared at her confused, "Need me to what?"  She shook her head, "I don't really know much about what happens after death.  That understanding wasn't deemed very important in our jobs."

            But Buffy had retreated a few steps back along the path and had sat down in the dusty road, her back firmly placed against that vision.  "I'm not."  She said almost to herself, "I'm not going to, they can't make me."

            Anya felt confused as Buffy walked away down the road.  Should she try and comfort the Slayer on dying?  She didn't really know Buffy all that well.  She was one of Xander's oldest friends, though not so old as Willow, and she had tried, for his sake, to get to know her better.  

            But she found herself completely lost with the Slayer.  Talking to Buffy – it brought back haunting memories of her human days, alone in a village full of women, unsure who she could really talk to.  The pretty, popular girls – like Buffy – had always seemed to make talking so easy.  They would giggle and laugh and make jokes, and when Anya tried to join in they would put up with her only if it were necessary, and ignore her was it was not.

            Buffy had never been that obvious, but was the same as they had been.  So easy everything they did seemed, so simply did people understand and ask for their opinions.  

            But this was a side of Xander's friend Anya had never seen before.  The Slayer seemed … small.  Weak.  She had curled herself up into a tiny ball, her features, usually so forceful and passionate, were drawn in upon themselves and she looked, she looked almost scared.

            Well Anya had been scared lots of times in her life, so maybe there was something she could talk about this time that wouldn't get her strange looks or, or "please Anya, not now's".  Cautiously, trying to look natural and failing miserably, Anya approached the fallen Slayer.

            Anya stood above the Slayer for several moments before realizing she would have to talk first, Buffy was still staring at the ground.

            "Buffy," she began, and saw the Slayer suddenly look up, "You," deep breath, "you appear to be suffering from … well, from a desire not to die. Now," she smiled proudly, "I have much experience with death," the smile faded slightly, "but have never actually died myself.  Yet –" she continued brightly, "I have witnessed many people experience death firsthand, though I usually preferred maiming myself when appropriate, though – transfiguration spells have always been my personal favorite."  She looked hesitantly at Buffy to see how she was doing but the Slayer was staring at her with a slightly raised-eyebrow expression.

            Anya's confidence faltered, "What I am trying to say, is that if you need anyone to talk to about dying, well, I may be the person to see, if you know what I mean."            

            Buffy's expression didn't change and Anya felt a familiar lump of worthlessness and disappointment settle itself easily into her throat.  It was the same as her human days; she thought ruthlessly, she had been right to be afraid.  Only as a demon had she managed to get anything done, only with Hallie could she talk and giggle and make jokes people would laugh at.  As a human she was once again what she had always been, a failure.

            Buffy eyebrows lowered then, and knit together as her face scrunched up with concentration.  Anya watched her impassively.  She's probably wondering how much Xander will care if she tells me to leave right now, she thought dimly, she'll say how much harder I made this all for her and then he'll go off an leave me for a load-bearing bar-matron and I wont even be able to turn him into a troll …  

            Buffy's eyebrows un-knit slowly and her face relaxed, she seemed to have come to a decision, but her jaw line tensed again as she turned back to Anya.

            Opening her mouth, Buffy seemed to make some kind of a sound but Anya couldn't hear her.  Settling her own face into a familiar mask of unconcern, she asked her slowly to repeat.

            "I –" Buffy seemed to be having a hard time with the words, "I need to, to tell you something."

            Anya's head quirked to the side as she stared at the Slayer suspiciously, "What?" she asked slowly.

            Buffy's cheeks went pink as she looked over at Anya.  Awkwardly she padded the ground beside her and the ex-demon sat on the dusty road still looking suspicious.

            Buffy couldn't help twisting her head around to make sure they were the only people in the area and leaned in to whisper quietly, "I'm pregnant."

            Anya's suspicious look disappeared and she looked positively shocked.  "Oh my god, was it good?"

            It was Buffy's turn to look confused, "What?"

            "The sex.  To get pregnant.  Was it good?"

            "What?  Eew, no – "

            "Aww," Anya patted her gently on the arm, "Was it a _Kushia demon?  They just have to prick you with a straw, no fun at all."_

            Buffy stared at her with an expression of un-believing.  Anya looked so serious that she laughed, "No, no it wasn't a _Kush---_, a whatever, demon.  It was with … " she turned pink again, "It was with Spike."

            Anya was nodding seriously, "Then it _must_ have been good.  Apparently vampire's can go on for_ever_…"

            Buffy laughed again, "It was just a quickie in Giles's bathroom, while we were under Willow's will-be-done spell."  Her voice became slightly misty, "But yeah, it was good."          

            Anya was beaming as if she took personal pride in Buffy's sex life.  Then her smile died and her voice turned serious again, "Does Spike know?  About the baby?"

            Buffy felt a sudden hand grip her throat and she couldn't answer.  Anya nodded knowingly and said sadly, "He's dead too, isn't he?"

            But Buffy shook her head, "No … well, yes – he is.  We both are, I think.  But somehow – somehow that doesn't matter.  We've both got a, a Choice, to make.  I think, if we want, we can choose to live – to, to be alive, that is."

            She had expected Anya to brighten, but instead her face got darker. "Oh," she said slowly, "A Choice."

            Buffy felt her throat tighten again, "You know about them?"

            But Anya shook her head, "Not really, no.  But, I remember a time from my vengeance days, about how there was someone who was going to have to Choose, and after their Choice we demons were going to have to pick sides.  Good or evil, one or the other for all time, kind of deal." She looked piercingly at Buffy, "I should have guessed it was going to be you."

            Buffy shook her head, "I don't understand.  Aren't most demons, well – aren't they already all kind of evil?"

            "No, no.  There are a lot of demons out there who do their best to help out mankind.  One old vengeance friend of mine devotes herself to children, answering their wishes if their in bad homes.  Most aren't evil at all."

            Anya looked eerily at Buffy once again, "Have you decided, then?  On your Choice?"

            Buffy hesitated, "I – I don't know.  I mean, I know I want this baby.  I know I want to watch him grow up, and, and eat cereal.  I want to teach him the perfect round-kick, and read him to sleep at night like my mom used to do for me."  Then she paused and Anya could clearly hear the longing in her voice now, "But another part of me … this is going to sound horrible … but I just want to, to _rest_.  I've been fighting for so long, and he's right – as my boy grows I'm be fighting more and more … and this is such a cold, harsh world to live in …"  Buffy shook her head, "I want to say the Choice is easy, but its not."  A sob escaped her throat and she fell into Anya's arms, "It's not Anya, its not."

            Anya patted her as gently as she knew how.  Feeling it was the right thing to do she began drawing back strands of Buffy's golden hair. 

            She hesitated for a moment, then realized some of her fears of talking to Buffy had left her.

            "I've never faced anything like this before," she began haltingly, "But I still remember my own Choice."

            Buffy raised a tear-stained face, "Really?"  Her voice was curious.

            Anya nodded.  "It was years ago.  I had just cursed my fiancée, he had cheated on me," she explained to Buffy's wide-eye look, "Turned him into a troll, as served him right."  She smiled momentarily, but then her voice took on a wavering quality, as if she were not actually present here, but really still existed all those years ago, when she had first been human.

            "I was standing just outside the village, watching the townspeople chase him around.  Most had teased me and laughed behind my back, so I didn't mind when he got mad and scared them off with his club.  De'Hoffrin appeared beside me then.  I didn't know who he was, but he offered me a place as a vengeance demon.  I could do what I did best, he said, help wronged women.  He told me my actual name was Anyanka."  She paused for a moment, as if in thought.  "It made sense, for some reason.  It … sounded right.  So I took it, I took the job and I loved every minute of it."

            Buffy had been listening to her story.  She felt bad when Anya had described the village people who hadn't understood her, just as her and Giles and Willow didn't understand her much either.  She heard the peaceful tone in her voice when she spoke of her Choice though, peacefulness she had never heard in Anya before. 

            "Is that how you knew?"  Buffy asked her quietly, after a moment, "It gave you that perfect feeling; like you knew what you were choosing was right?"

            Anya looked at her, she didn't seem surprised by Buffy's question, "Yes, it felt just like that."

            Buffy sat up slowly then, and pulled back her hair with a final gesture.  Standing up she reached down and pulled Anya up beside her, feeling some of her old Slayer strength back in her veins.  "Well then," she told the ex-vengeance demon, speaking as much to her as to the world around her, "I guess I really made my Choice a long time ago."  

            Now Anya did look confused, "When?"  She asked.

            Buffy smiled back, "When I just couldn't bring myself to brush my teeth last night."

            Anya smiled but faltered as a voice spoke up from behind them.  "Very well," said the man in the rumpled suit.  Buffy and Anya turned to see him walking towards them from up ahead in the path where the window to the real world looked on.  "You're Choice is made."  The man lifted his hands and seemed to speak something under his breath.

            A loud wind sounded suddenly through Buffy's ears and she felt her head snap back as if she'd hit it upon a rock.  Her body fell backwards to the weathered path and Buffy heard Anya calling her name from suddenly far away.  The ground rushed up at her and Buffy could _see_ it though she was still falling backwards and the world suddenly twisted just before she hit the ground and then instantly went white with pain.    


	34. Cabbages?

_Hey guys!_

_            Yeah, I know – I know … I haven't updated in forever and a half.  And I used to be so good at updating too!!!  But exams are almost done – just math left (calculus) on Saturday, everything else went okay (except chemistry ... grumble grumble) and I should be home soon and updating relatively regularly._

_            Lol._

_            Ooo … those of you who find this – go back to where it lists all my stories on fanfiction.net (I've only got the one right now, of course) and check out my "favourite stories" and "favourite authors" lists.  I've found some *great* stories on fanfiction.net.  There's two really excellent Harry Potter / BvTS cross-overs .. and I mean *really really good* and a couple other excellent stories._

_            The His Childe, Her Sire, and Their Soul series (with a fourth one coming out soon!!!  Yea!!!) is super super good.  I've seen it around but never sat down and actually read it – did that this weekend … amazing writing._

_            Hope everyone is doing well .. thanks again for the amazing feed-back … honestly, finding e-mails in my inbox makes me ichy to update .. so if you're screaming for the next chapter make sure to tell me and you'll help it to go that much faster!!!  Especially now as school is almost done._

_            Anyways – after loads of time and much ado – here's the next continuing chapter in my little series, Something Green …_

Something Green

Chapter 34

            Xander Harris stared in confusion as the vampire he detested second in all the world sat slumped uncharacteristically against a brick alley wall.  The alley he suddenly found himself in was dark and smelled rotten, a city could be seen faintly beyond the brick and gravel, but it wasn't anywhere he immediately recognized.  He remembered the green wind that swept through him, and Dawn's voice calling him to battle, so he'd expected something a little more dangerous then Spike talking to himself in an alley.  Glancing to the empty spot of air to which the vampire seemed to be directing his conversation, Xander came the conclusion that Spike had finally snapped.   He wondered if Angel had been seen talking to invisible people before he went on his killing rampage too.

            Of course, Spike had the chip in his head, but Xander had been filing through enough odd-jobs on the Hell Mouth to know that technology never lasted here that long.  Microwaves guaranteed to serve lunch until 2020 blew up in your face after only a year or two on the job.  Xander stared at the vampire wondering why he wasn't afraid, sooner or later the chip was going to break, and then Spike would snap them all in half too.

            Buffy could have stopped him, of course, but she hadn't been able to stake him yet, and Xander was beginning to doubt she ever would.  Thinking of his first crush wound a tight rope of pain around his heart and Xander remembered again the sight of her, golden hair on the white floor, bright red blood pouring from her neck.  

            For a moment Xander forgot the other parts of his vision that showed her and Spike working together against a common foe – he saw only the jagged rip in her throat and assumed the most obvious conclusion.  With a cry of pain and revenge, Xander threw himself towards the unaware vampire, not caring that his hands held no stake.     

            Spike looked away from his dead, former self in time to see the Whelp running at him with fists clenched and fury on his face.  

            "Xander?" he asked, his voice a mixture of amusement and confusion.  He might have started laughing out right if the kid hadn't thrown a drop kick right at his face.

            Without thinking, Spike was up and off the wall before Xander's knee had even fully extended, he was spinning on his left foot as the Whelp's balance shifted and had him in a crushing headlock just as Xander realized Spike had moved.

            Ideally wondering if being extra-dead had its advantages – _I've never moved that fast in my life – Spike kicked the kid's knees out from under him while simultaneously shoving him forwards towards the wall._

            Xander managed to get his hands out in front of him and caught himself before he smashed head-first in the mortar.  Spike felt a flash of hope for the kid – if trained properly he might just make one hell of a fighter.

            Xander caught himself on the wall and struggled to pull himself to his feet.  Hissing rage at the thing that had so easily defeated him, Xander threw himself again at Spike.

            Now the Vampire was getting pissed, swatting the Whelp's fists away as he would an annoying fly he kicked him in the stomach and dropped the kid to his knees.

            Only then did he realize he had injured the whelp without blinding pain from the chip driving him to ground.  Xander seemed to realize this fact too, and struggled to keep the fear from showing on his face.

            "What the bloody hell's up with you?"  Spike yelled at him, managing to hold back the bloodlust out of sheer will alone.  The sudden urge to rip this human's heart from his rib cage and drain him dry as a leaf was almost overpowering.

            For his credit, Xander simply raised his chin and hissed, "If you're going to kill me – fine.  Kill me like you killed her, you worthless son of forgotten hell-spaw—"

            Spike's fist caught the whelp on his cheek before he could finish, just as his other hand darted out, grabbed him by the neck and hauled him up an inch off the ground.  Pulling his face within in biting-range of his own, Spike spoke through clenched teeth,

            "One: never speak about my mother that way again, or so the devil help me, I'll let _him finish you off."  He nodded to an empty patch of gravel off Xander's right.  Xander's eyes darted off and he almost laughed as he realized his earlier assessment had been right – Spike _was_ loosing it._

            Noticing his humour Spike felt the blood-lust rush back and the bones of his face change as his demon came forth.  Go waste a perfectly good threat on a long-dead human the kid couldn't even see.  Shaking Xander to receive his un-divided attention the Vampire continued threw his demon-visage, "Just listen to me you whelp!  I didn't kill Buffy, I didn't kill _anyone_, and – bloody hell – " Spike threw Xander to the floor as his grip loosened and his human face emerged, "I doubt I can even kill you because _I'm already bloody DEAD!"_

            With that the Vampire who might be a father started kicking the brick wall of the alley as his rage and demon and anger burst forth.  Shouting at the top of his lungs, Spike looked around blindly for the woman who had delivered him from his pathetic excuse for a life, "DRU!!  Get back here and _finish_ this!  I don't want to live!  I just want to bleedin' DIE!  DRUSILLA!!!!"

            But the alley-way was empty.  There would be no release this time, no dark goddess to turn to for power and strength.  Falling to his feet Spike slumped face-first against the wall and Xander watched, torn between wanting to laugh at the vampire's insanity and feeling sorry for something he couldn't understand, as the vampire's entire frame shuddered with sobs of emotion the boy had never seen him express.

            Forcing the feelings from his voice, Xander picked himself – painfully – off the ground and took a step towards the demon.  

            "Look Spike – you say you didn't kill her," he choked back a sob of his own as he recalled the extent of his visions and didn't notice the vampire had stopped shuddering.  Steeling himself from the images, Xander straightened his shoulders and spoke with an icy calm he hadn't known he possessed, "Fine.  Let's say you didn't.  But somebody did – I don't care if you're loosing it, I don't care if you've finally snapped, all I care about is the fact that one of my best friend's is dead.  Get you're sorry ass up and tell me who killed her."

            Still huddled against the wall Xander could here the vampire laugh.

            "You wouldn't stand a chance you Whelp.  She killed me, she killed Buffy, she –" he paused, the chuckle dying on his lips, "– she killed us all.  Go back to you're prissy little demon and run as far from SunnyHell as you can.  They'll catch up with you eventually, but at least you'll be able to tell you're bird you love her."

            Startled by the depth of emotion Xander felt the truth of his words.  If Buffy was dead, and Spike was – strangely – somehow dead too, then what could the rest of them do?  They were just the back-up, the security; they didn't fight the big bad guys.  Sinking to his knees beside the grieving vampire, Xander Harris stared at the gravel road. 

            "This is really it then, isn't it?" he said, not sure who he was talking to – himself or Spike.  "We've stopped the end of the world so many times – we didn't make it this once though, did we?"

            The Vampire gave another half-laugh before turning around so faced the kid.  His eyes flickered yellow on his human face as he leaned back against the false security of the brick wall.  His voice, when he spoke, was exhaustion laced with cold humour, "Nope.  All going to die this time – isn't that bad," he added, almost as an afterthought, "the dying part I mean.  Kind of feels all – swirly."

            Xander stared at him, and suddenly he was laughing, "Swirly?  Did I just hear the Big Bad say 'swirly'"?

            Spike made a face and rested his elbows on his knees, struggling to keep his own voice annoyed, "Yeah well – you Scoobies rub off on the best of us."

            Xander blinked several times and stared at the vampire for a moment, for the first time since he was pulled here noting the condition Spike was in.  His normal leather duster was missing, though his usual black shirt and pants were ripped and bloody.  There was dirt and more blood on his face; though not enough to indicate he actually had killed.  His hands were cut too, and they shook a little as the Vampire noticed him staring.

            Averting his eyes in an oddly embarrassed way - as if he had reason to feel pity for Spike, the soulless dead-boy junior who would kill them all without a second glance (_or would he?, _a sudden voice in the back of his head asked) – Xander found himself examining the alley-way.

            "So where are we?"

            Spike barely even looked up, though his trade-mark smirk was once more back in place, Xander now recognized it as a sense of security, "London – 1880." He flashed him a languid grin, "Should have stopped by earlier, missed the show."

            "Show?"

            Spike pointed off a couple meters away, "I died in that alley.  Turned into the Big Bad, right here."

            Xander snorted, "What were you doing, running from the law?"

            Spike looked suddenly embarrassed and mumbled something un-intelligible.  Out loud he said, "Yeah – something like that."

            Xander raised an eyebrow and didn't comment.  They lapsed once more into silence before Xander's struggling curiosity got the best of him.  Phrasing himself as neutral as he could, he asked, "So you said you're dead – what, again?"

            "Yeah – don't really understand it myself." Spike leaned back again against the wall, wishing with ever fibre of his being for a smoke, "This robot bloke killed me, stake through the heart and everything." Xander found himself shuddering at the lack of emotion with which Spike spoke those words, "Everything went all –" he smirked, "– swirly, and I found myself here, watching myself die for the first time."

            Xander looked again, imaging Spike – human – coming to a sticky end.  For some reason he just couldn't.  Spike as a human didn't make any sense, it made him more of a person, less of a thing, and Xander didn't like the implications.  He realized then that he was stuck in a visage of Spike's past with a – what, ghost? – when he thought Dawn had called him urgently to battle.  What should he care if Spike died?  Less worry for the gang, he figured.  Though if he were honest with himself Xander knew Spike being dead would leave a sort of hole in his past – him and Cordy broke up cause of Spike, well, indirectly, and who knew if he ever would have met Anya with Cordy still in Sunnydale?    He looked at Spike then and knew he'd miss him when he actually left this – place – and died.  Not that he'd ever tell the vampire that, of course.  Shifting his gaze from the vampire to the alley-way again, Xander looked in vain for a way out of here.  He could see the end of the alley dimly, but only 19th-century London awaited him out there.  He turned to look over his shoulder and saw the same.  Looking over at Spike still propped up against the wall he asked, "So how the hell do I get out of here?  You're dead – again – I'm not.  What am I doing in your death scene?  Shouldn't this be where you're many victims' come out and throw cabbages or something?"

            Spike found himself smiling at the Whelp's attempts at humour.  He'd been around these Scoobies long enough to know that was how they dealt with anything they couldn't outright kill.  The kid had a point though; he should just get on with it and tell him what was happening.  

            He wanted to tell William – he was still standing over there against the wall, though Spike had realized by now that Xander couldn't see him – to just take the kid home.  Tell him to follow his advice and get out of town, take Dawn with them before she died too and just run.

            But he had already made his Choice – he could still see Buffy falling towards him, could still feel the strange combination of Vampire/Slayer emanating from her womb – he had already chosen to live, even though he had begged Dru for death.

            And he knew Xander was right – as soon as he took William's hand there _would be his many victim's throwing cabbages, or something, at him until he could learn to deal with his soul.  Insanity sounded really nice right now, but his younger self was right – they didn't have the time._

            Swallowing his pride, Spike turned to Xander with a sufficiently serious look in his yellow-flashing eye that the Whelp shut up and listened to him.

            "Almost right.  S'far as I understand it – the Powers, or someone, doesn't want the bad-guys to win," he ignored the kid's chuckle and continued, "They're offering us some kind of Choice – Buffy's off making her own right now," that caught the Whelp's attention, "and I've got to make one too."

            "So she's alive?  Or, well, she could be.  That's good!" his eyes brightened momentarily, but then clouded instantly with suspicion, "Wait – what kind of choice, and why do I feel like Anya and I are somehow involved?"

            Spike shrugged, "Don't know where your bird is or where, possibly out helping Buffy with her Choice.  You, on the other hand," he squinted at the boy, "are – apparently – supposed to help me with mine."

            Xander wasn't sure whether to laugh or start crying.  Buffy was alive!  Or she might be soon.  He knew instantly what her choice was – he had watched her prevent far too many apocalypses and knew how tried of the fight she was getting.  The way her eyes crinkled when another threat appeared, it would have been half a blessing for her to die.

            Spike – on the other hand – had always seemed content with his lot.  The only choice Xander could see before him was to lose the chip or not – which he didn't appear to have here anyways – and he couldn't really see how that would benefit the forces of good.  

            The Vampire seemed aware of his confusion.  In a halting voice, as if unsure how much to tell him, he said, "My Choice is, well kinda like Buffy's I guess, I've got to choose to live – which I've done – but there's this catch, kinda."  He seemed almost nervous, Xander realized, holding back a laugh, "See, here – in this alley – I lost, well my soul right?  Cause I died, and – well they want me to have it back."

            Now he couldn't help it, Xander laughed.

            Clutching his sides the kid fell sideways onto the gravel and howled as Spike's grimace turned into a frightening scowl.  

            "Well there, sure help is here – stupid whelp's supposed to help me adjust and all he does is laugh at me – needs a bloody railway through the chest to smarten him up, he does."

            Xander whipped tears from his dirt-stained cheeks and forced himself to turn to Spike.  Seeing the scowling demon made him laugh even harder, and Spike's frown deepened.

            "Its – just – that – you look – like – Angel!" he managed to get out, and Spike's scowl erupted into a full-fledged snarl.

            "I am not that bloody poof!"  Xander only laughed harder and Spike rose to his feet and spun angrily on his heel, "Fuck it – it's not bloody worth it."

            Suddenly Xander was on his feet and had Spike against the wall, his forearm under the Vampire's chin.  With a snarl of his own the kid's voice dropped an octave.

            "Listen, buddy.  If you're doing this for her then she fuckin' better be worth it because I won't let you live a second back up-top if you ever try and hurt her, or Anya, or any of the Scoobies.  If you leave this alley way you better either have a soul and be a fuckin' Angel or help me god you'll wish Drusilla _had killed you."_

            For the first time since he had come to Sunnydale, Spike felt a little bit in awe of someone besides the Slayer.  He could feel the power of the kid's words, not just the fury behind them.  Spike suddenly understood, trapped beneath an arm that should _not_ have the power to hold him, that something more then just Xander was talking now – something much, much more powerful was behind him.  Apparently, the Powers meant business, not just for Buffy and him, but for all of them.  

            Sighing, he let his eyes drop to the ground, feeling as he did so the apparition leave and knew he could break the kid's hold now in an instant if he wanted to.  

            "You're right – she is worth it.  She's worth it more then you could possibly imagine, but it's not my place to tell you."  Xander's grip loosened as he stared at the Vampire in obvious confusion.  He seemed completely unaware of what had just taken a hold of him.  

            Forcing himself to swallow back any retort, Spike held the image of Buffy and their unborn child in his mind to give him the strength to turn back to Xander.

            "If you feel like that – if you want to protect them," Xander watched as Spike struggled to force out the words and without a sound he let the Vampire go and stepped back to watch him more carefully.

            "If you want to protect them – then I, I need you're help."  Spike looked over towards the patch of empty gravel again, "I'm going to do it – for them – I'm going to get my soul back and go back, and hope she decides the same." There was no need to ask who "she" was, but there was the "them" to ask about later.  Spike looked back at Xander, his eyes holding a mixture of emotions the boy couldn't even begin to unravel.  There was a past here he didn't fully understand.  "It's going to be – disorientating – though.  You saw Angel; the bloody poof was still incompetent a hundred years after dealing with his soul.  I'm not going to have that long, and I _have_ to be able to fight."  Xander nodded, so Spike continued, his voice laced with irritation now, "I've no bloody idea why they picked you to help me, seeing as we hate each other and all, and I have no idea how its going to work, but apparently you get to help me get re-adjusted to my soul." 

            He smirked at the whelp, "Lucky you."


	35. Choices Made Again

_             I think the best compliment I've ever gotten for this story has been from the person who said that chapter 34 made them like Xander a little more – thanks!_

            _I'm trying very hard to remain true to the characters, but it's difficult as your fingers just want to type whatever they can to make the story go your way.  I know the ending I have in mind, but making the characters keep their original personalities while evolving as people is harder then I thought it would be – ah well, good practice for future writing!!_

_            But here's the next chapter … my math exam went wonderfully and now I'm alllll done!!  More time for this story – lol!_

Something Green Ch. 35

            Xander Harris felt something very closely akin to nausea as he stared at Spike, the Slayer of Slayers, a vampire neutered by a chip in his head that prevented him from killing anything human – which didn't seem to apply in this between world they were in now – while he explained how he was willingly about to reclaim his soul and how Xander was here to help him.

            If the rolling feeling in his stomach had subsided, he might have started laughing again.

            As it was he simply stared at the vampire, who was watching him with an impossible to decipher expression, as he struggled to keep a rising respect for the demon from showing on his face.

            It would be so much easier if the Powers could just have cursed him without giving him a choice – Xander could hate him for it then, just as he hated Angel.  

            Angel – the soul-filled demon killer who was oh-so-sorry with his soul and so absolutely deadly without it.  How Xander hated him, partially because of Buffy, if he was honest with himself, but also because the demon could do whatever he wanted as a bad-guy, and got all forgiven when he was 'good'.  Because Angel had always seemed to sincere to the gang in his apologies, and because Xander knew the demon was lurking just behind the surface, laughing as they trusted him.

            But Spike – Spike was going to willingly take on the guilt and suffering and sorrow that supposedly came with a soul, and though Xander understood that there were other reasons lurking behind the surface of his words, he also knew that the Powers hadn't chosen un-wisely.  He would help Spike, and if somehow this all went wrong, then may someone help him.

            Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Xander flashed his own slightly shaking smirk back at the vampire, "Yeah," he said, "Lucky me."

            Before Spike could register his shock at Xander's acceptance, the human clapped his hands together and said with only half-forced cheerfulness, "So how do we do this?"

            "With me."

            A voice and accompanying figure appeared from the shadows on Xander's right.  He realized it was the man Spike had been talking to before.  Staring at the nineteenth century clothes, the dark and curly hair and slightly nervous manner of the man before him – Xander couldn't help a chuckle and wink at the vampire.

            "Oh yeah, running from the law I'm _sure_."

            Spike grumbled something unintelligible and darted his eyes towards the waiting London, as if thinking of skipping the soul bit and just running away.  It was for the Slayer though, and anything else she'd be carrying if she made it back too.  Squaring his shoulders Spike stepped deliberately close to his former self and after another brief hesitation, stuck out his hand.

            Spike's older self smiled faintly and stuck out his hand as well, still keeping it an inch or so from the vampire's. 

            Turning his attention to Xander, the older-Spike-but-not-Spike man, (_Ghost?  Soul? Spirit? Xander couldn't help but wonder), spoke in a Victorian voice, "You're duty is to ensure that I – or rather 'we' – remain sane enough after the Joining to complete our business among the living.  I understand there are some innocents who need saving."_

            He waited a moment for Xander to nod before continuing, "In order to help us, I need you to place your hand between our own – you will serve as a type of conduit, a link, between," he hesitated with the name and screwed up his face as though eating raw fish when he spoke it, "'Spike', and I.  You will allow us to meet each other gradually, and hopefully preventing to much -," another pause, "-disorientation."     

            Again Xander nodded and lifted his right hand to place it between the other waiting too.  He caught Spike's eye who gave him an almost imperceptible nod, and together they waited for some kind of signal to begin.

            With the barest hint of a chuckle, Spike's soul said, "Well – as they say in your time, 'here goes nothing'."  

            And with that he thrust his arm out to meet Xander's, just as Spike touched his palm on the other side.

            A blinding pain erupted from his chest as a darkness tangible as silk sucked him into its warm embrace and hurled him deep inside himself.  

            In the rushing of darkness beside him, Xander could barely hear himself scream.

            ****

            Giles followed Dawn's gaze to the cybernetic demon creature that stood, staring transfixed, at the hole Glory was rendering.

            "Him?" He repeated, "But I thought he was no match for –"

            But Dawn was already turning to the creature.  Holding her hands out in a gesture of almost benediction, she softly called his name.

            "Adam."

            Slowly he turned to face her, his impenetrable gaze skimming past Giles's to rest on Dawn's fourteen-year old face.  "Yes?" he asked.

            "You wanted power to defeat her, did you not?" Dawn asked him, her voice carefully controlled, "Her actions will destroy this building – do you wish that?"

            Adam appeared to think for a moment, Giles tried not to fidget as down the hall the rip in space/time grew larger.

            "My mother did not wish that," the creature spoke, then paused, "And I find myself agreeing with her decision."

            Dawn's voice now hardened into a regal command, "Then, Soldier of Light, I grant you the power you require."  A flash of brilliant green light danced off her fingertips and burrowed into the creature.  Giles could see Glory's face emerge from behind the rather large hole.

            "Hey!  You better not be messing up my plans!  I broke both heels running after that dead Slayer – any more upsets and I'll get _really_ testy!"

            But both Adam and Dawn ignored her.  Adam's gaze was fixed inwards as the green light danced lightly under his skin before burrowing deeper into his chest and Giles doubted he had even heard her.  With a look of awe on his awful face, he turned his stare at Dawn, "You're power is truly perfect."

            Dawn smiled at him sadly, "Use it well, my soldier."

            Her voice dropped to a whisper as Adam turned away and headed towards Glory and her growing hole in space.  Giles looked at her curiously and she turned to him with a sad smile, "Haven't you read all the old stories, Giles?" her gaze turned back to rip in space, "Every great hero dies."


	36. When Two become One

_Wow!_

_            So many different interpretations about Dawn's comment … and no one's seemed to hit upon the right answer yet!  I suggest you go back and read the prophecy ... they usually help to clear things up …_

_            I'm back home from University now – but my computer's not hooked up to the 'net.  That means updates may be loaded on two or three at a time, since I've got to transfer them to my Dad's computer to update._

_            But I have a funny feeling that no one's going to complain … __J_

Something Green

Chapter 36

            The darkness was a living thing.

            Horribly, wonderfully quiet it whispered sweet nothings in his ear as it seduced him, carried him off struggling, welcoming, to its embrace.

            The silky threads of night dominated him, pulling, pushing him towards their wondrous end.  Xander could feel the Power in the night, the sudden desire – no, _need_ – for blood came to him and he found himself lost in the darkness, all senses strangling to find a heartbeat – any heartbeat.

            _It's too much for him!  Pull back – pull back!_

            The voice shouted from somewhere behind him, Xander suppressed a cry of rage and pain as the darkness melted slowly away from him.  He could still feel it – dimly – as it clawed at the surface of his mind and called to him with its secrets.  He longed to take it back within himself, but was denied.

            _Soon, another voice – unknown to him – whispered softly from the air around him.  _You're not ready for us yet – but soon you will be, Hero.__

            "Xander?" 

            The voice, loud and harsh – not at all like the silky sweetness that had spoken so lovingly to him – interrupted his world and brought him crashing back to himself.  He felt the tentacles of the darkness brushing at him still, but their calls were harsh now, and foreign.  Fighting a sudden panic he reached upwards to what he felt was less heavy then the night-time around him.  As a cry of grief from the darkness surged through him, Xander urged himself desperately forwards and broke the surface of the Night as he felt the blinking tide of Day waiting.

            "I'm here!" he shouted, hoping one of the two being he was supposed to be aiding could help him.

            A flash of dawn then broke above him and Xander found himself standing on the cobblestones outside a quaint Victorian house.  Before him, utterly at home in the brightening dawn, was the older version of Spike, still dressed in his antique suit and holding a notebook.  His nervousness was significantly lessened, and he seemed at home in the street.  

            Still, the man frowned as Xander walked up to him, "Strange," he said, almost to himself, "I expected Spike to be lured to the darkness and you to save him where I could not, unexpected that he would save you instead."

            Xander just stared at him confused, _Spike rescued me?_, until from behind him he heard a familiar cough.

            "Well couldn't just let the kid drown now, could I?  Slayer'd never forgive me."

            Xander turned around to see the real Spike, complete in his duster and platinum hair, lounging comfortably against a brick wall in the shadows.  Xander recognized it as the tail end of the alley they had visited before, though this time it was filled with the moving shadows of demons.  He recognized Spike's voice then as the one that had dragged him out of the darkness.

            The darkness.  From inside his mind the cool, silky voice that had spoken to him seemed to laugh in delight at his shiver of revulsion at the memory, though it did not try and seduce him again.  Unwillingly, Xander felt part of himself reach out in longing ness towards that voice, just as another half of him shuddered.  The voice laughed again, but directed his attention from his own thoughts to the scene before him.  Softly, as from a great distance, it whispered one word in his mind.  

            Like a stone the word dropped through his being, and looking around himself in confusion, Xander suddenly understood the dilemma before him – the human Spike stood in the brightening dawn, the vampire Spike existed in the dark.  The two could not come in together without one getting bitten or burned.  The voice had whispered _balance_, and though he knew it somehow meant more to him then he consciously understood, at the moment the word directed him to the solution of the Spike's before him.  Somehow he had to convince them to meet, half way between the darkness and the light, if they were to have any chance of surviving this joining sane.

            Taking a quick glance around himself, Xander saw a stair case leading to the top of building beside him, which stood perfectly balanced between the darkness and the light.  His every movement accentuated, Xander crossed the cobblestone street and sat comfortably on the third step.  Glancing quickly at the sun, he saw how it had moved almost imperceptibly higher in the sky, and noticed how a little of the darkness in Spike's alley had disappeared.  He understood then that this joining would take place if the two men involved were ready or not, and that they had only a limited amount of time before the real Spike had to wake and help Buffy save the day.  

            Forcing his hands to rest easily on the stone steps beside him and not give away his nervousness at playing peacemaker, Xander directed his attention to Vampire Spike.  

            "Thank you for the rescuing then," he tried to force a chuckle but found it came easily, "just doesn't tell Willow I said that, I'd never live it down."

            Vampire Spike smirked and nodded, "No problem mate."

            Human Spike stood waiting in the sunlight, arms crossed above his chest, "Well come on then," he said to vampire Spike, "we haven't got all day."

            Vampire Spike snorted, "What?  You want me to come out there with you?  Bloody hell no, get burned to crisp I would.  Come on over in here so we both stay safe."

            Human Spike shook his head, "Have you looked over your shoulder once?  There must be a hundred thousand vampires back there – I'm not letting myself get bit by any of them, thank you very much."

            Vampire Spike seemed unconcerned, "I can keep the badies off you."

            Human Spike was unimpressed, "I think not."

            Xander sighed loudly, this was going to be harder then he thought.  Waving to Human Spike he beckoned him closer.  "I can hardly hear you – if you're both going to bicker then at least come sit and be comfortable."

            Xander turned and looked at Vampire Spike, "You too, there's plenty of steps here in the dark, no one will get burned or bitten and we'll all be able to talk without screaming."

            Both Spike's seemed to hesitate, and Xander felt his temper rising, "You both agreed to do this!  I'm supposed to be here to help you – let me help or let me leave, at least _I care enough about Buffy to be there when she's got to take on the enemy alone!"_

            That got them.  Snorting their indignation, hands clenched into fists, both the Human and Vampire variations of Spike slowly closed the distances to Xander.  Each refused to sit, but stood leaning against the stone pillars of the steps on which Xander sat.

            He sighed, both Spike's stood glaring at each other, neither apparently as willing to go through with this joining as they were a few minutes ago.  Xander sat between them, having no idea what to do next.

            _Get them to talk to each other – a new voice in his head said, this one filled not with the warmth and silky softness of the Night, but with a lighter airiness he couldn't place – __they have to agree to get along._

            _Who are you? Xander spoke silently, but received no answer.  Looking up at the Human Spike, he noticed the notebook he clenched tightly._

            "What's that?" He asked the man, indicating the book.

            The Man glared at the Vampire, "He knows well enough what it is – when we join, I want to keep our writings."

            The Vampire snorted, "Bloody hell no – I'd be the laughing stock of Sunnyhell, not just a traitor to our kind, now I write bloody poetry!"

            Xander had to resist the sudden urge to laugh.  Instead he turned to the Vampire, "So if he wants to keep your writing, what do you want to keep, Spike?"

            The Vampire seemed to think for a moment, "Fighting.  William here never threw a punch a day in his life – but it's the only thing that's kept me sane while I've been chipped.  I don't want to feel all guilty the next time I try and take on baddie."

            The Human Spike – William, Xander remembered – nodded, "Agreed, but I don't want you going after humans, no biting of the innocents; I won't stand for it."

            "I've got this bloody chip man, thought you were watching the scene up there."

            "I mean always, Spike.  If you ever get the chip out or it stops working, I don't want us biting humans!"

            'Us', Xander noted, they were beginning to think as one again.  He looked at the shadow's preserving Spike's domain.  They had edged a little farther inward, not much time left now.

            Now it was Spike's turn to nod, "Fine – no biting of the walking hamburgers."  He looked suddenly uncomfortable, "What about the … the guilt?  I saw Peaches when he got his soul back; he said the voices kept shouting at him.  I don't want to be incapacitated like that, especially if we're running back into a fight."

            William's glare relaxed slightly and he looked almost saddened, "I can't make them go away, Spike.  The voices, their all the people you killed as a vampire.  I can try and talk to them, convince them they don't need to punish you, that you'll suffer enough as it is, but I can't promise anything.  They're not under my control."

            Spike nodded, more slowly this time.  "Fine, I can accept that." He glared again at William, "Anything else you'd like to swing over my head?"

            William's eyes softened, "There's just one thing you need to understand Spike; something that might be used against you later.  Mother – she didn't mean what she said that night."

            Spike's knees seemed to turn to water and he caught himself on the low stone wall, the half still swallowed in shadow.  Xander stared at him in confusion, but Spike seemed oblivious to him and looked only at William, "You've – you've spoken to her?"

            William nodded, "You can't see her now, but she wants you to know that she's happy, her soul was released when you killed the demon, and she thanks you for that."

            Spike didn't say anything, but relief was evident on his face.  Sensing the two of them were as close as they were ever going to be, even though he had no idea what they were talking about, Xander stood up on the stone steps.  The two version's of Spike looked at him, then stared at each other.  

            "Right then," Human Spike nodded, standing straight and holding out his hand, palm first.

            "Guess so," Vampire Spike agreed, and held out his own hand, also palm first.

            The sun was right behind him now, using Xander's shadow as a balancing point, the two version of the same man leaned forward and touched.

            Xander heard both voices in his head cheer as a grey mist enveloped them all.  The last thing he heard before he blacked out was the cool, misty voice speaking again in his ear.

            _Remember.      _


	37. To Be Born Again

Something Green

Chapter 37

            Dawn Summers looked outside of herself and saw the rip in space and time growing larger under Glory's ministrations.  She looked then inside herself and saw the tangle of green power that connected her to the mechanical demon-humanoid named Adam.

            Boosted by her limitless power, drawn from the thousands of threads that connected an infinite number of dimensions, Adam knew he was finally as his mother intended him: perfect.

            With military precision, Adam walked steadily towards the being that threatened his Initiative.  She saw him coming of course, but could not feel the tangle of green power settling on his fists.  With an insane smile she watched him step carefully around the openings of the portal – he could feel its ripped edges calling to his borrowed strength, though he knew it was not in his ability to close it as it desired – and stepped in front of the women in the red dress.

            She laughed at him now, both at his daring and stupidity.  The open portal stood behind him, and he could see out of his peripheral how the woven threats were breaking under this women's power, soon the beings beyond those strings would do more then scream – they would feast. 

            "Enjoy having your circuits fried, then?" the woman giggled.  Her face twisted into a joyful sneer, "Fine with me then!"

            Reaching forward, her hands still dyed red with blood, Glory swept a fist at his midsection.  Adam reacted with the perfection born of cybernetic training and the speed and strength given by the green power that boosted him.  A slight green shield appeared around his midsection and stopped her fist cold.  As a look of surprise lit her face, Adam swung a powerful right fist at her chin and succeeded in throwing her across the Initiative hallway and slamming into the pristine white walls.

            Lurching back to her feet, the woman stared at him in fury and cried out as she used the wall for support, "No fair!  You're _cheating!"_

            Giles watched in sick fascination as Glory threw herself again at Adam.  The green shield appeared to surround him again, somehow smaller though this time, and blocked another assault.  With unbelievable strength the creature called Adam threw a double right kick, right punch combination, and sent Glory sprawling to the floor.

            _Thank all the Powers that Be that my Buffy never had to fight that cybernetic creature, Giles found himself thinking with thought.  It took him almost a full second to remember the events that had transpired, and then he stared, ashamed, at her lifeless body still sprawled on the floor.  _

            His analytical mind knew intellectually that he was in a state of shock, that the reality of the situation had not yet dawned on him.  He blinked in consternation, wishing blindly for tears that never came.  With a start he lurched forward, intent on rescuing her body from the fight occurring in front of her.  Glory had sprung a double-hit combination at Adam, whose shield again protected him, while he followed up her movements with a fierce back-hand that put her again into the wall.  _It would be such a shame if they stepped on her, his all-to-calm mind informed him as he went to move her body, still covered in Spike's dust._

            But a steady hand blocked his way.  Giles looked over to see Dawn shaking her head.

            "No, Giles – leave her." Her eyes took on a faraway look, "It's almost time, we're just waiting for Spike's decision, then the last Choice will be made."

            Giles found himself disagreeing in a strangled voice, he never would have guessed he'd actually miss the Vampire, "No, Spike is … is gone." He gestured to the dust littering the Initiative floor and scattered around his Slayer.

            "He's dead.  Like her." A little of the dazed look left his eyes as they took on a bit of their steel, "Adam – he killed Spike."

            Dawn smiled at him sadly, "Yes, I know."

            Just then Glory hit Adam with a resounding _smack_ and he wheeled backwards from her backhanded blow.

            Glory pumped a fist into the air and cried triumphantly, "Yes!" and Dawn turned her eyes from Giles to watch the scene, still speaking to him but with her attention focused on the turning of the battle.

            "But it was Spike's decision to die, and my power was not meant for attack or defence.  Adam's shield has failed, and he will pay what the Powers demand of him."  

            Glory was laughing manically, with a swift kick she brought Adam to his knees, and effortlessly reached over and picked him up, hoisting him above her head like a trophy.  Calling to her minions beyond the unfinished portal, she roared, "Followers!  Your Goddess frees you, devour this stinking world!"

            And with that she threw Adam into the portal.  Giles watched with horror as his sheer bulk, threaded with the remainder of green power still circling his being, snapped the last strings that prevented her dimension from crossing the gate.  The expression on Adam's face, he remembered later, was confusion, mixed with swift regret.  Giles watched as he fell towards the hungry hoards, and heard snapping as they ripped him apart.

            No longer able to stand, Giles sank to the floor, still tearless, to lie beside the fallen body of his Slayer.  Far too often Watchers had survived where their charges had died, this time, he thought thankfully, he wouldn't have to live though that torture.

            But beside him he heard a thin whisper from Dawn's lips, and felt rather then saw her raise her arms over her head, just as Glory began to reach forward through the portal, to take the hand of the first being to cross that dimensional boundary.  

            With a confident cry, Dawn lifted her voice as she shouted across the dimensions, "The Choice has been made!  The Prophecy will continue!  Rise then, my Warriors, and take up your swords!"

            For a moment, nothing happened.

            Then Giles realized that Glory's hands had not yet moved, that a dust speck rising in front of him, glinting with the light from the portal, was stationary, and he found himself in that place between time, where movement was paced so slowly that the mind had time to wander.  He wondered if this was death was like, and if he was about to die.

            But then there _was_ movement.  Backwards movement.  Before him, where Buffy lay in sprawl on the Initiative floor, the blood that still seeped from her grievous wound even in this timeless place, stopped.  Slowly, ever slowly, it seemed to flow backwards, gathering at her neck and not leaking out from it.

            At the same moment, the dust speck that had so caught his attention also reversed its almost invisible flow of movement.  Reeling away from him, the dust speck gathered others hanging almost motionless in the air and together they shifted silently to hover over the form of his Slayer, her life's blood now gathered entirely at her wound.

            Giles tried to blink in disbelief, but found he couldn't move.  The only movement in this place was in the form of the two being before him.  For slowly the dust from the air gathered into a vaguely humanoid form.  As the blood bubbled back into the body of his Slayer, so did the Vampire who loved her take shape above her body.  The dust coalesced into the shape of bones and skin, and a dark grey ribbon of power could be seen interweaving through his form.  Just then a bright ribbon of gold sparkles appeared around his Slayer, spreading from her midsection out, and as it wove through her body Giles knew it was enhancing it with Slayer strength and speed, just at the Vampire power ran itself through Spike, its glittering power just as powerful as hers, though somehow more subdued.

            And then Giles noticed something interesting.  Around her midsection, from which the thread of Slayer power had emanated, so to could a dark grey dim sparkle be seen.  In a tight bundle it met the sparkling golden energy of Slayer power and seemed to welcome it as a lover, twining together the grey and gold ribbons, coalescing into a tiny form.  The new colour it emitted was not merely a mix of the two energies, but an entirely new product all its own – purely silver, it sparkled with the light of a thousand suns, and Giles knew that its power would endure beyond the realm of this life.  Something powerful had been created when Slayer and Vampire combined, and if he did not know what it was, he did know that he would protect it till the end of his days.   

            Then suddenly, just as the breath of time had whispered, so too did it shout; with a snap that he felt in his bones, Giles heard Glory scream in hideous pain as the blood on her fingers boiled when she brushed it against the portal it had created.  Her arms seemed frozen in place, fingertips licking the molten surface of the rip in space, and unused to true terror, the hell god screamed again.

            But a new movement before him caught his eye.  With a might breath, Buffy Summers drew in her new life's air, and atop her the vampire known as Spike sat up and looked around.  Giles stared in wide-eyed fascination as his Slayer pushed herself up off the cold floor, and caught the eyes of the Vampire who loved her.  They're expressions softened for a moment, then nodded as both Warriors picked themselves off the tiles to stand, side-by-side, facing the being that had killed them both when it spilled the Slayer's blood.

            Behind him, Giles knew that Dawn was smiling, but he couldn't have turned his head to look at her even if he'd wanted too.  His gaze was frozen on the two figures before him, and his voice caught in his throat as Buffy spoke.

            "You know, you should really check the warranty on these inter-dimensional portals before you open them – read the fine print that says it only works when the sacrifice remains dead."

            Glory stared at her, shocked, confused, and in terrible pain.  Her hands were burnt and blackened, but still they hung, no longer under her control, in the portal they had opened.  "Please," she whispered, a word she had never uttered so in her life, "help me."

            Compassion filled Buffy's gaze for a moment, and even Spike's wavered.  Together they stepped behind the hell-god as Spike uttered his first words, "I think justice is best served by one's own people – let your minions deal with their failed god."

            In one motion they kicked the terrified woman simultaneously in the back, breaking the control of the portal and shoving her through its rough embrace.  As her hands passed its boundaries and she fell into the waiting hordes of her people, its strings leapt to find their severed ends, and the portal snapped shut before them.

            The Slayer and her Vampire watched the portal close.  With a nod of satisfaction, they turned to face the people who loved them, who had delayed so their Choices could be made.  A ringing laugh sounded from behind Giles as Dawn leapt towards her sister, all traces of the ancient being gone as she was once again a fourteen-year old girl, throwing her arms around Buffy and gathering Spike into the folds of her hug.  

            The spell on Giles was broken, with a strangled sob he fell forwards on his knees, the tears he had never spilt shuddering from him in painful relief.    


End file.
